Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Friday submitted his proposed terms of references (ToRs) for the Panamagate inquiry in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

On November 1, a larger bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, had directed the petitioners and respondents in Panamagate case to submit ToRs to probe the matter.

In his three-page ToRs, Sheikh Rasheed has raised seven questions.

The ToRs state that the prime minister’s family included his parents, spouse, sons and daughters, grandchildren, brothers and sisters.

“What are the details of the bought or sold property which were held beneficially or benami by PM or his family during the period 1985 to 2016? Which banks were used to purchase property abroad? Whether or not asset acquisitions correspond to the income tax paid by the Sharif family during the corresponding year? What was the origin of funds shifted into their offshore accounts? Where did the funds used for purchasing property overseas come from?” stated the ToRs.

The ToRs stated that before the commission enters upon any inquiry, the PM and his family should provide complete information of all their worldwide moveable and immoveable assets and interests in properties, held at any time since 1985 along with full details of the income tax paid year wise.

“The commission will appoint a committee consisting of experts of international forensic audit to carry out an exhaustive investigation and audit into the offshore companies and their accounts owned by PM and his family, including all transactions, sales and purchase of all assets, or benami interests and opening and operation of all bank accounts including offshore bank accounts and companies,” the ToRs state.

“The commission will direct the respondent to give a mandatory authorisation by an irrevocable general power of attorney empowering the committee and/or its designated members to access all of their offshore companies and accounts,” the ToRs stated.

“Every respondent and his family shall present themselves before the commission for examination and cross-examination or any person permitted by the commission,” they stated.

“The case of any respondent who volunteers publicly for accountability shall be taken up first to enable him to clear his name in the first instance,” the ToRs stated.