JI chief moves SC for inquiry against individuals involved in Pandora leaks

Names of persons involved may also be allowed to be brought on file for purpose of inquiry, the petition prays

ISLAMABAD:

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Amir Sirajul Haq on Monday approached the Supreme Court (SC) demanding an inquiry against Pakistanis involved in the Pandora leaks.

The JI Amir stated that he had filed a similar petition when the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) disclosed the establishment of offshore companies registered in Panama, whereby illegal public money was transferred from different countries. A number of Pakistanis were also listed in those leaks.

While the ICIJ was still investigating the matter of illegal transfer of funds through the said established companies, the consortium published yet another list of individuals involved in transferring public money, the petitioner prayed.

Read More: Probe against 700 Pakistanis named in Pandora Papers begins

The petition further added that the publishing of Pandora Papers is a continuation of the Panama Leaks published in 2016. Both the leaks involved the transfer of public funds and the establishment of offshore companies with that money.

"The process of investigation in the matter is to be taken by the respondents, yet neither the names of those persons already announced by the Pandora Papers are being acknowledged by the respondents nor any action is proposed by the respondents against the said persons,” it added.

"Since a similar petition is also pending before this Honourable Court, therefore, the petitioner seeks the indulgence of this Honourable Court for a direction to the respondents for the purpose of inquiry/investigation," the petition prayed.

Siraj prayed that "by allowing this petition, the names of the persons involved in the transfer of public money, as mentioned in Pandora Papers may also be allowed to be brought on the file for the purpose of inquiry/investigation".