Summary The Chief Justice will return to Pakistan on May 1.
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – Formation of an inquiry commission to probe into Panama Papers allegations against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s family is facing delay as Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Anwar Zaheer Jamali has left for Turkey today (Saturday) on a week-long visit, Dunya News reported.
The Chief Justice will return to Pakistan on May 1.
Meanwhile, Justice Saqib Nisar took oath as acting Chief Justice of Supreme Court at a special ceremony in Islamabad today.
Justice Asif Saeed Khosa administered the oath.
The acting CJP is of the view that a letter from the government regarding formation of the commission was sent to Justice Jamali, thus, only he will decide on the matter.
According to sources, the commission could seek assistance of any international audit firm and forensic experts for the investigation. The government will bear all the expenditures in this regard.
The Prime Minister has also directed all the concerned authorities to cooperate with the commission, sources told.
While addressing the nation on Friday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif pledged to resign if a probe related to the Panama Papers tax scandal found his family had committed any wrongdoing.
Three of Sharif s children were named in a vast leak of documents from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca this month that has revealed how the wealthy hide their money.
The premier has announced a probe into the revelations contained in the Panama Papers, which claim his children owned London property through an offshore company. His daughter Maryam was named along with his sons Hasan and Hussain.
Nawaz Sharif defended his family, saying the claims had been investigated twice, decades ago, under the tenure former military ruler Pervez Musharraf.
"If the allegations levelled against me any my family members are proved, I will resign without any delay," he said.
"I hereby announce (I will) write to the chief justice, asking him to lead the judicial commission, which will investigate revelations made in the Panama Papers," he added.
