Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Given their 35-year track record of cheat and deceit, no honourable retired judge of Supreme Court (SC) is willing to bail Sharif family out of Panama Leaks quandary, except Justice (r) Sarmad Jilal Usmani, who too has only conditionally agreed to head the inquiry commission.

The PTI has already rejected the proposal of appointing a retired judge to head the proposed commission. Therefore, the chances of Justice (r) Usmani to head the commission are remote.

Justice (r) Usmani has maintained that he would only head the commission if all the political parties develop consensus on his name. Besides, he demanded, an independent team of the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) should assist the proposed commission and the commission must be completely independent.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his sons and daughter have been accused of siphoning off billions of rupees into their foreign accounts and investing this money in offshore companies. The prime minister is pursuing the judges who were close to his family to steer his family out of the quagmire of the money laundering and tax evasion allegations. Prime Minister Sharif, who enjoys two-thirds majority in parliament, has, however, almost failed to find a judge so far to rescue himself and his family.