Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made his first appearance in Parliament earlier today (Monday) since the Panama Papers revelations about his family’s offshore holdings caused a major political upheaval in the country.
Leaked documents from the Mossack Fonseca law firm in Panama last month showed premier’s sons, Hassan and Hussain, and his daughter, Maryam, owned at least three offshore holding companies registered in the British Virgin Islands.
PM Nawaz and his family have repeatedly denied wrongdoing, saying the assets mentioned in the leaked papers were legally acquired through the family’s network of businesses and industries in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere.
“We presented seven simple questions and wanted their clarification to be that simple. But the prime minister has increased our questions from seven to 70,” says opposition leader Khursheed Shah.
“We thought the issue would be resolved by answering these seven questions by the prime minister. But, instead of wasting the time of the House by leveling counter allegations, the House and the people want answers to those seven questions.”
PM proposes committee to finalize TORs to investigate Panama leaks
“I would recommend the formation of a committee in the House which would finalize comprehensive ToRs.”
“So that those involved in embezzlement of funds may come to the fore. The committee will have my complete cooperation. It can thus settle this matter once and for all.”
PM Nawaz submits tax details to Parliament.
“Our family paid Rs10 billion in taxes in the last 23 years,” says PM. “We sold out our factory for $9 million.
Every penny returned
“We have returned every penny that we acquired through loans. In addition, my father rebuilt our broken Ittefaq Foundries with our hard work and dedication.”
“I can say with pride that I found my family hard-working and dedicated. But those who fly around the world in helicopters and planes may also tell this House about their journey through time.”
‘My life an open book.’
“My life is like an open book. I have nothing to hide,” says the premier.
“My family lost more than it earned. I want to tell those resorting to mud-slinging that I provided land for several welfare projects.”
The thorough mechanism for accountability
“The Parliament must ponder upon introducing a comprehensive system of accountability. The House should undertake consultation, which shall plug the loopholes and refrain anyone from leveling baseless allegations against politicians,” says the PM.
“When politicians are defamed, democracy too gets defamed. Since this matter has come to the fore, it should be resolved once and for all.”
‘Our hands are clean.’
“Our hands are clean as we have always faced accountability and are still ready for any accountability. But, we also want the reality behind those getting their loans waived to become public.”
‘Indicted before investigation.’
“I am forced to say that even before the commission could conduct an investigation, the government was indicted by the opposition,” says the premier.
“We intend to continue the progress for the country, and we want to continue this development.”
PM is addressing the National Assembly.
The prime minister has arrived and is addressing the lower House of Parliament.
Opposition walks out of Senate.
Meanwhile, the opposition parties in the upper House of Parliament staged a walkout owing to the prime minister’s absence from the House as earlier demanded by the opposition.
Opposition parties hold a joint meeting.
Earlier, opposition parties held a joint meeting in the Parliament with representatives from all opposition parties to decide a strategy in reaction to the prime minister’s address to the lawmakers.
“We will listen to the prime minister calmly as we have asked seven simple questions. Then, we will chalk out our strategy after his speech,” said the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Khursheed Shah, after the meeting.
“As per the understanding, Opposition will continue the walkout from Senate until the PM turns up and clear his position on Panama Papers.”
Last week, opposition lawmakers had left the Senate and the National Assembly, demanding the prime minister come to Parliament to answer their questions.
“The prime minister will attend parliament on Friday and answer all allegations,” Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid told the legislature, adding the prime minister could not attend the session earlier due to an official visit to Tajikistan.
Opposition parties have prepared a list of questions they want PM Nawaz to answer. However, on Thursday, the premier accused the opposition of needless public uproar on Panama leaks since he has already written to the chief justice to investigate the offshore accounts of Pakistanis.
The prime minister returned from Turkey on Sunday after attending the wedding of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s daughter and went straight into a huddle with his legal and political aides ahead of Monday’s session of the National Assembly. Sources said that he is likely to meet his aides one more time and consult his allies on how to put across the government’s viewpoint on the Panama leaks.
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