Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: After the unresolved deadlock between the federal government and opposition over compilation of Terms of References (ToRs) for inquiring alleged tax evasion and illegal money transfers, Jamat-e-Islami (JI) has approached the top court for taking cognizance related to Panama Leaks. Emir JI Sirajul Haq on Wednesday moved a constitutional petition in Supreme Court of Pakistan requesting it to issue directions for initiation of inquiry and arrest of culprits to recover the public money.

Advocate Muhammad Asad Manzoor Butt, counsel for JI, filed the petition under Article 184 (3) making Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (MOPA), Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of Finance, Cabinet Division and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) respondents. “It is also a matter of concern that the issue of constitution of “Commission of Inquiry” and the relevant TORs was unlikely to be finalised by either the respondents or the others in the near future. “Therefore, the indulgence of this august court into the matter in hand is urgently required,” the petition stated.

The petition stated that politicians and other government entities established offshore companies by illegally transferring public money from Pakistan, allegedly drawn from corruption or kickbacks involving trillions of rupees of public money.

The petition further stated that the apex court seek a list of owners of the said “offshore companies” along with details of individuals, families, and group companies for the purpose of inquiries in response to a letter of the Ministry of Law and Justice, wherein the federal government had requested that the matter be inquired.

“But the Government of Pakistan deliberately did not provide the requisite material to meet the requirement of the august Supreme Court of Pakistan for the purpose of the constitution of the “Commission of Inquiry” to date,” the petition lamented. “We regret to state that the respondents (ministries) are deliberately delaying and avoiding the initiation of any proceedings of inquiry into the alleged corruption leaks, which is resulting in failure of the recovery of public money from abroad and hence the Country is facing serious financial hardships,” the petition further stated.

Sirajul Haq, in his 10-page petition filed on behalf of party, stated that he had also filed representation before the NAB to take action but the bureau has not initiated any action despite the fact that the eradication of corruption was NAB’s raison d’être. It said that illegally transferred national wealth is an offence under the section 9 of National Accountability Ordinance 1999 and NAB has power to take cognizance of the said offence as the Ordinance caters to matters regarding corrupt practices at the international level.

“It also caters the requirement of United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) and Pakistan is also one of the signatories to the said convention of UN,” the petition stated. If the perpetrators of corrupt practices were not arrested, it would cause irreparable harm to democracy, the petition said.