Islamabad: Following a prolonged consultation meeting, the joint opposition has included Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in the parliamentary committee, constituted to frame terms of references (ToRs) for inquiry commission on Panama Papers.
Barrister Saif of MQM will replace Jamhori Watan Party leader Aftab Ahmed Sherpao in the parliamentary committee, formed through a resolution in the National Assembly on Thursday.
The committee comprises six members each from the government and the joint opposition.
The opposition leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah has written a letter to speaker NA Ayaz Sadiq for making Barrister Saif part of the opposition’s six-member team.
Khursheed Shah said, MQM had some misunderstanding which is now addressed.
Meanwhile, after becoming part of the ToRs committee, MQM has stated that it also wanted investigation into Panama Papers allegations. “We want to know how money is earned and transferred abroad illegally.”
The National Assembly on Thursday approved the resolution for forming a 12-member parliamentary committee of the government and opposition members to finalise terms ToRs.
A row erupted in the National Assembly on Thursday over the constitution of the parliamentary committee on the PanamaLeaks ToRs when the government moved a resolution of eight-member each in the committee, a day after the government and opposition agreed that six members each from both sides will finalise the ToRs.
The opposition rejected changes in the draft and asked the government to stand true to its commitment made at the speaker’s chamber.
The government pondered over a decision to increase the members of the committee to 16 after the MQM protested that it had not been included by the joint opposition despite being the fourth largest party in the assembly.
The committee shall be constituted for six nominees of the government and six nominees of the opposition from both houses .The speaker may replace any member of the committee on the request of the leader of the parliamentary party concerned. The committee will submit its report to the Parliament within two weeks’ time.
