Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Information Secretary Naeem-ul-Haq said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family would be thoroughly investigated during the investigation into the Panama Papers’ reports.

Addressing a press conference at the National Press Club, he said that no concession would be granted to anyone during the investigation process. He said, “Instead of clarifying their position and contradictions on offshore accounts and properties, Sharif brothers are using government machinery to blackmail political opponents.” He claimed that the Information Ministry was doing propaganda against PTI Chairman Imran Khan and other party leaders. He regretted that the government was using the state machinery against the PTI. He said the PML-N was in the government. If it has evidence of any wrongdoing against anyone, he said, the government should probe and prosecute him instead of blackmailing him.

The PTI leader went on to say that the Sharif government had launched a massive media campaign on “development” at the expense of taxpayers to divert people’s attention from the Panama leaks. He claimed that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s daughter was leading government’s propaganda campaign against the PTI leadership and it was fully supported by Prime Minister’s House. “We respect Maryam Nawaz, but she should keep herself away from such campaigns,” he said.

He said that PTI leader Jahangir Tareen would send a legal notice to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for distorting facts. He claimed that a reference would be filed in the Election Commission of Pakistan against Capt (Retd) Safdar for not declaring his offshore company in his nomination papers. He regretted that the government accused Tareen of owning an offshore company.

About Shaukat Khanum Hospital funds, Haq said the PTI was ready to have an audit of the funds from the auditor general of Pakistan. He reiterated that the government should respond to the questions raised by opposition parties regarding Panama leaks and offshore companies and other properties owned by the prime minister’s family abroad. He said the Panama leaks issue would be resolved if the government agrees to reveal the facts. He said the PTI would call off its protest movement if the government forms a judicial commission in the light of his party’s demands. He said that fake documents on behalf of the State Bank of Pakistan were being issued from Prime Minister’s House.