Opposition says will not be able to meet 15-day deadline. PHOTO: AFP
Notified on May 25, the panel was given 15 days to draft consensus ToRs for a judicial panel to investigate the Panama Papers, which on April 3 revealed that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s three children were among dozens of powerful people from around the world who secreted money in offshore companies.
During its last meeting held on May 27, the government rejected a set of 15 ToRs submitted by the opposition, asking it to resubmit them as fresh proposals. However, the opposition made it clear that these ToRs had unanimously been formulated by nine-party joint opposition.
The opposition had asked the government that it could suggest any amendment to these ToRs by submitting para-wise comments. On Tuesday, the government had to submit these comments.
However, the fourth meeting of the committee concluded without discussing any significant agenda after the government team requested to call off the proceedings until June 4. The government mentioned the health condition of the prime minister, who on Tuesday underwent a successful open-heart surgery, and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s hectic schedule ahead of the June 3 budget announcement as reasons to postpone the proceedings.
The opposition admitted the request and later it was decided that the next meeting will be held on June 4 (Saturday).
Speaking to the media afterwards, the opposition members accused the government of deliberately delaying the proceedings of the committee to avoid accountability on different excuses.
They said they would present outcomes of the deliberations with the government before parliament upon expiry of the deadline. “It seems the prime minister’s open heart surgery has paralysed the whole government,” said Aitzaz Ahsan, a member of the committee.
“Deadlock persists. The government’s attitude has disappointed us,” Ahsan said, reiterating the opposition’s stance that accountability should be started from the PM’s family.
Another member of the committee, Sahibzada Tariq Ullah, said the committee was given two weeks to finalise ToRs but it is progressing at a snail’s pace. “Government is using delaying tactics. But we will present our two-week progress before the nation, whether the task is completed or not,” he said.
A press statement from National Assembly’s Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah said it depended on the government if it wanted to resolve the matter through parliament’s platform or on streets. “It will take months to develop consensus [on ToRs], if the government continues with its delaying tactics,” the statement added.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 1st, 2016.
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