Panama leaks: PM’s not showing up in parliament may deteriorate situation, says Shah

Opposition will not let democracy derail; government should write a second leter to CJP, says Khurshid Shah

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Khurshid Shah made it clear that the opposition will not let the democratic government derail, saying Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif can explain his stance regarding his family's offshore holdings in parliament.

“The prime minister has to respond to [the allegations of] Panama Papers in parliament, but if he does not appear before the assembly, then [political] situation may deteriorate,” he told reporters on Friday.

Leaked documents from the Mossack Fonseca law firm in Panama last month showed premier’s children – Hassan, Hussain and Maryam – owned at least three offshore holding companies registered in the British Virgin Islands.



At the same time, Shah advised PM Nawaz to write to the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, a second letter before Monday to urge that the judicial commission be formed soon.

His suggestion comes in the wake of Justice Jamali's statement who has declined the federal government’s plea to form a judicial commission to probe into the Panama leaks.

“We have to carve out a joint solution to this issue and we will listen to every word let out by our prime minister,” the opposition leader in NA said while addressing a press conference in Karachi.

“We will not chant Go Nawaz Go and will listen to the premier with patience and composure,” he maintained, saying they had “leaked this paper [containing the questions] to give the prime minister an easy way out of the difficult situation.



“After the premier’s sons have issued confessional statements, he must give some answer as to how and in what ways the money moved abroad,” Shah  said, adding that the wealthy are becoming wealthier while the poor are becoming poorer.

He went on to say that even if someone sounds “insulting to PM Nawaz will also have no respect in the assembly as well.”

Regarding the terms of reference (ToRs), the opposition leader offered the premier that these can be developed together.



Earlier, the prime minister formed a judicial commission to probe  into his alleged offshore wealth but the opposition parties disagreed on the ToRs, while also demanding the premier may step down until the investigation is complete.