Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly opposition leader Khursheed Shah on Thursday demanded an investigation by international auditors into the matter of ruling Sharif family’s offshore companies.

Shah said on Thursday that it is a matter of grief for the Pakistani nation that the names of their prime minister and his family members are included in the list of those dishonest people who were involved in money laundering through offshore companies. While speaking in the National Assembly on an adjournment motion, Shah said the prime minister’s son Hussain Nawaz has admitted that they invested in offshore companies just to evade tax. “The prime minister has worsened the state of affairs after his speech to the nation in which he confessed that he and his family members took away some money abroad when (Pervez) Musharraf was in power. We want to ask how this wealth was taken outside the country. Was the money transferred laundered?” Shah asked.

He said the government has announced a judicial commission to probe the matter, but the PPP would not accept it, as the opposition did not blame the PM therefore there is no need for taking evidence to the probe commission. Shah said it is the need of the hour that the government give authority to international auditors to investigate the matter because the most important substance in politics is ethics. “The political leaders are the custodians of the country and the prime minister has the responsibility of the entire nation on his shoulders.”

Meanwhile, Federal Minister Khawaja Asif said in his speech in the House that the opposition leader talked about international auditors, but during the tenure of PPP, several instances of corruption came to surface but the government did not form any commission. “I personally took five cases, including rental power and Hajj scandal, to the courts and got success there. If anybody has any objection on the judicial commission, they should knock the doors of Supreme Court instead of point-scoring. The opposition has not got any proof,” he added.

Asif was of the view that by forming the judicial commission the prime minister has performed his duty. He can now appear before it if it is deemed necessary. He said “Musharraf carried out harsh accountability against the PML-N leaders in which they emerged triumphant”. The minister said PPP leaders also have offshore companies, and even they invested charity money in these firms. “Those who are taunting the children of Sharif family about investment abroad should tell us why they do the same thing.” He said his party is prepared for all kinds of accountability.