Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Despite the ruling of the National Assembly (NA) speaker on the disqualification reference against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the government has decided to keep the Parliamentary Committee on Panama leaks alive, Daily Times learnt.

The committee was formed after the approval of motion in both houses of the parliament and its report is yet to be presented in parliament which is mandatory. Although the committee’s time line has completed, but through a motion the government can condone the delay in the presentation of the report, parliamentary sources said.

Sources said that NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has given his ruling and sent the reference to the Election Commission as according to him the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf failed to present concrete evidence against Nawaz Sharif regarding his involvement in the Panama scandal. In spite of this the issue was still pending in the committee. Currently, the committee is not functional but it exists and the Pakistan People’s Party and other parties demanded that it exists until the presentation of its report.

Sources said the speaker tried to make the committee functional by summoning its meeting several times, but to no avail.

“Yes, I have given my ruling on the reference of PTI against prime minister and now the matter is with Election Commission. Even though I gave time to Imran Khan and Jahangir Khan Tareen in the National Assembly to explain their position,” the speaker told Daily Times.

He added, “I did everything in accordance with law and constitution. Now they have other forums, including courts, if they are not satisfied with my ruling. Despite their baseless allegations on me I was very much fair with them.”