Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his colleagues are considering three options to save their skin after revelations by Panama Papers triggered a political storm in the country.

The prime minister is in touch with his cabinet members as well as the leaders of allied political parties to thrash out an effective strategy to not only steer clear of the Panama scandal but also neutralise PTI’s public rally and expected sit-in.

The government’s first option is to set up a ‘judicial commission’ but in case no judge is available, it can go for a parliamentary committee. If the government fails in both of the above mentioned options, it can take the matter to joint session of parliament before April 24, the day of PTI’s public rally in the federal capital.

Both federal government and the PTI have made full preparations to show their muscles on the occasion of latter’s public rally in Islamabad. The district administration is panicked over PTI holding public rally in Fatima Jinnah Park, as reports by intelligence agencies have revealed that PTI might not leave the venue until the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. According to the reports, if only 500 to 1,000 people stick to the sit-in after the public rally, even that can create a lot of problems for the government.

The PTI has submitted a 41-point affidavit to the district government which states that they would require Fatima Jinnah Park from morning till 11pm in the night of April 24. They have assured the district administration that the public meeting would be over by10:00 pm and the site would be vacated by 11:00 pm.

In spite of the assurance by PTI in black and white, capital’s police and the district administration believe that Imran Khan would not go without taking the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

A senior officer on the condition of anonymity told Daily Times that the top officials of the district administration will meet PTI leadership in a day or two to secure another assurance.

The source said that the government is already confused on the allegations of corruption and if PTI transforms its rally into a sit-in, it would be very difficult for the PML-N government to handle the situation. After the leakage by Panama Papers, the beginning of accountability process within army has mounted pressure on the government. The verification of assets by ECP and disclosure about assets of Maryam Nawaz Sharif could ring alarms bell for the government.