ISLAMABAD – The opposition parties may soon submit a requisition in National Assembly Secretariat forcing the Speaker National Assembly to immediately call a ‘Pandora leaks’-specific lower house sitting.
The opposition wants the government to take Parliament into confidence about a new revelation related to the Pandora Papers on the floor of the House. The opposition parties will jointly plan to move requisition in the National Assembly Secretariat, if the government delays in calling the National Assembly. Article 54(3) of the Constitution says: “On a requisition signed by not less than one-fourth of the total membership of the National Assembly, the speaker shall summon the National Assembly to meet, at such time and place as he thinks fit, within 14 days of receipt of the requisition; and when the Speaker has summoned the Assembly only he may prorogue it.”
The government is likely to summon the National Assembly session by the end of this week. The upcoming National Assembly session will carry out a debate on ‘Pandora leaks’. The huge tranche of leaked data on offshore companies that is believed to be larger in size and scope than the Panama Papers had exposed the names of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Cabinet members, close relatives of the Opposition, retired generals, businessmen and others.
These Pandora Papers have unmasked the fortunes of more than 330 public officials in 90 countries. Included among them are 35 current and former leaders of different countries.