Daily Times

LAHORE: Following the appearance of the prime minister in before the Joint Investigation Team on Panama leaks issue, the Punjab government and the opposition are at loggerheads.

Talking to the media before the Punjab Assembly session outside the assembly building on Thursday, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan termed PM Nawaz Sharif’s appearance before the JIT an example of justice of the “era of caliphs”. He said that by this act of the PM, people’s confidence in the Supreme Court and democracy had further increased.

He said that as the PM had appeared before the JIT, the investigators should also prove their impartiality and explain to the nation why the team used tactics like pressure or threats to take back the affidavit. He also urged the JIT to clear its position in the photo leaks issue.

The law minister said that the JIT had some soft corners for Imran Khan of the PTI, as no action was being taken against his statements. He was ambitious about the appearing of the Punjab chief minister and younger brother of the PM, Shahbaz Sharif, before the JIT on June 17 and said that the JIT would be surprised when it faces him, as the CM was ready for “a 13-hour-long session”.

On the other hand, opposition leader Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed has said that it was a fact that no accountability of the ruling Sharif family was done in the past, as they used to run away after making a deal, but this time they were trapped in a serious case.

He said that PM Nawaz Sharif had been exposed before the nation. He appreciated the JIT members for continuing their investigations despite receiving threats. He also said that the nation not only saluted the JIT members for their courageous efforts to hold investigation without fear but also fully backed it.