Daily Times

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister’s Adviser on Information and Archives Maula Bakhsh Chandio said that Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) reference against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) government will bring Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government to its logical end and rid the nation of corruption and nepotism.

He said, “Nawaz has deceived the nation since long by establishing off-shore companies in the names of his close relatives. Panama leaks are a big proof of the record corruption and plundering of national exchequer.”

Panamanian law firm and corporate service provider Mossack Fonseca, who revealed Panama leaks, has linked Nawaz’s children and his brother Shebaz’s in-laws to offshore companies, which is a clear treason with the country and the nation, he said.

The advisor said, “Panama leaks link PM Nawaz’s daughter Maryam Nawaz and her brothers Hussein and Hassan to four offshore companies, Nescoll Limited, Nielson Holdings Limited, Coomber Group Inc, and Hangon Property Holdings Limited.  The companies acquired luxury real estate in London during 2006–2007. The real estate was collateral for loans of up to $13.8 million, according to the Panama Papers.”

Chandio said that the prime minister should resign immediately as he had failed to declare his assets to the nation and keeping assets hidden is not only tax evasion but pilferage of national wealth.  He said that in view of the nation’s demand of taking action against plundering of national wealth, PPP had filed a reference with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) seeking the disqualification of PM Nawaz as the country’s ruler.

Chandio also referred to a report saying that Nawaz Sharif has also defaulted on Rs 6 billion loan when he filed his nomination papers with the ECP in 2013. The PM also showed wrong asset details of his wife and children and misled the ECP about his income tax returns besides being involved in money laundering. “After such revelation, Nawaz has no right to rule the country anymore,” he said.

He informed that the PPP had submitted a 1,000-page reference against PM Nawaz, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, his son Hamza Shahbaz, Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs Senator Ishaq Dar and Captain (R) Muhammad Safdar for hiding their assets from the nation, which is a big crime.

Chandio said that the reference had requested the commission to take action against the prime minister in accordance with Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution. The decision to file the reference was taken in the party’s meeting chaired by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto last week, he added.

He said that the PPP had always struggled to save democracy and lead the nation towards prosperity by following the policy of reconciliation. The party has fought with all the tyrant forces that cheated the nation in form of corruption and other tactics, and it is the PPP which ensured enormous powers to the all provinces of the country, but PML-N is indulging in Sindh government’s affairs which is violation of the Constitution and the rule of law, Chandio said.

“The anti-democratic forces backed by PML-N government are out to harm PPP’s Sindh government once again, but the party’s leadership was wise enough and had been continuing its struggle to foster democracy, save national exchequer and serve drown-trodden people as per the lessons given by Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto,” he said.