Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Strongly reacting to Panama leaks, opposition senators in the upper house of the parliament on Friday said the government would not hold any investigation into this issue of the past.

Loot, blunder and nepotism would continue and the common people would continue to suffer, but the government would not take measures for the betterment of the people. The rich became richer and the poor became poorer. Plunder of the public money and its investment in foreign countries would continue until some drastic measures are taken. In the past, commissions were made on corruption in the OGRA, Hajj operations and ephedrine scandal, but the culprits were not punished. If the government forms another commission on Panama leaks, the result would be the same, said the opposition senators associated with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

PTI Senator Noman Wazir Khattak said that legislators sitting in both houses of the parliament did not want to resolve any issue, including the issue of Panama leaks. This is the right time to raise a collective voice against the plunder of the public money and its transfer abroad. There was a massive corruption at all level of the government and no sincere efforts were being made to stop it, he said. He said that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had stated in 2014 that Rs 500 billion in foreign banks would be brought back, but nothing had been done in this regard so far. He said that Panama leaks were a serious issue and it should be resolved before people come out on the street against politicians. Some PPP leaders’ names were also mentioned in the leaks. He suggested that everyone should present himself for accountability. He suggested forming a judicial commission headed by the Supreme Court chief justice and assisted by forensic experts.

Senator Sherry Rehman said, “Nawaz Sharif should take the parliament into confidence like the British prime minister has presented himself before the parliament over the Panama leaks. We don’t believe in politicking or sit-ins over Panama leaks. If this matter has to be taken to its logical conclusion, it should be investigated in a fair and transparent manner,” she said. Sherry said there was no suo motu today because the PPP was not in power. She said that accountability should be across the board and suggested a World Bank team should investigate the Panama leaks.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed called for formation of a joint parliamentary commission to probe the Panama leaks. Opening a debate on Panama leaks in the Senate, he said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would assist the commission, which should be delegated full judicial powers. “The government should come clean on the matter. If the government evades the commission, then the senate’s ethics committee should decide the issue. No judge or general or bureaucrat can decide it,” he said.

“Time has come that parliament should go for self-accountability. Panama leaks neither pose any threat to democracy nor to the government. The government should stop stubbornness and come forward to resolve the issue,” he said. Sayed said that political point scoring and attempts to destabilise the government on the matter should be avoided.

Taking part in the debate, ruling Senator Chaudhry Tanvir Khan said that offshore accounts and companies operate the world over and that was not an illegal act, but a situation was being created in the country to destabilise the government.

“What was done during the tenure of former president is all before us. The Sharif family has made progress through hard work. We should decorate such people with gold medals who have raised monumental empires through hard work.”

Ishaq Dar said that he talked about $200 billion in foreign banks in 2014 and would try to bring this money back to the country. “Don’t create confusion about our sincerity. We work hard for country’s development.” He said the government had fully authorised the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to consult various countries and bring the money back.