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ISLAMABAD – The opposition parties have rejected the investigative cell formed by the Prime Minister Imran Khan to probe those who own offshore companies.
The opposition parties have asked Imran Khan to step down before any such ‘drama’ of accountability. Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senior leader and former Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani in his statement said that cell announced by the federal government for probing the Pandora Papers was for crony protection for those exposed by global investigation.
The investigations into the Pandora Papers must be done through a judicial forum of serving judges, it will be for them to proceed in accordance with law. He said that Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission, had no mandate under the law or the Rules of Business, 1973, to carry out or supervise such investigations. Therefore, any such proceedings undertaken by it will be void, Rabbai said.
He maintained that association of the Law Ministry further tinted the exercise, saying that experience of the illegal investigation into the matter of Justice Isa, by the combine of the Law Ministry and the Advisor on Accountability was declared mala fide and unlawful by the Supreme Court.
“The Ministry of Information through PEMRA, investigating Media Houses is like judge, jury and executioner, hence rejected,” Rabbani added. Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Secretary Information Marriyum Aurangzeb has said that no free and fair probe is possible in presence of Prime Minister Imran Khan against the ministers holding offshore companies.
She said that all financial supporters of the ruling party were exposed by the report, saying that Imran Khan should first resign before conducting any investigation into the case against his ministers. On the other hand the spokesperson of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Hafiz Hamdullah while reacting to the Investigation Cell formed by the Prime Minister asked Imran Khan to dissolve the cabinet as many of cabinet members owned illegal offshore companies. Terming the PTI government offshore, Hafiz Hamdullah said that Imran Khan along with his ministers should resign instead of making hollow claims of accountability. He said that all those exposed by the report must be held accountable as per law of the country.