Summary The opposition leaders stated that they have reservations over the selection of Justice (r) Sarmad.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday have dismissed the inquiry commission under Justice (retired) Sarmad Jalal Osmany to probe Panama leaks.
Senior leaders of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) finalized Justice (retired) Sarmad Jalal Osmany’s name for the commission but the opposition parties have abruptly refused to form committee under his supervision.
PPP leader Qamar-uz-Zaman Kaira warned of staging protests if government forms commission according to its own will. The leader also raised questions over PML-N’s credibility.
PTI’s Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Justice Sarmad should have not accepted the offer.
"It seems that the federation is not willing to write letter to Supreme Court", he alleged.
He further demanded to form commission who can dig out the truth behind Panama leaks whereas suggestion of establishing parliamentary committee given by PTI can also be taken under consideration, he added.
Earlier today, a meeting of the senior PML-N leaders was chaired by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar at PM House in Islamabad on the directives of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
CM Punjab Shehbaz Sharif, Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid, Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Khurram Dastagir, Minister for Development Ahsan Iqbal, Law Minister Zahid Hamid, Abdul Qadir Baloch, Senator Mushahidullah, IT Minister Anusha Rehman and PM’s Advisor Irfan Siddique attended the meeting.
The participants agreed on Justice (r) Sarmad Jalal Osmany’s name to head the inquiry commission on the issue of Panama leaks. They also indicated that final decision will be made after taking all the parties into confidence.
Last week, the Prime Minister Sharif left for the UK for a purported medical check-up amid chaotic political scenes by the opposition demanding his resignation after his daughter and two sons were mentioned in the Panama Papers as having secret offshore companies.
While Nawaz Sharif has denied money laundering allegations, opposition leaders have asked for an independent probe.
