ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The existing deadlock over the Panama investigation seems to be destined having a long-life as the Chief Justice of Pakistan Anwar Zaheer Jamali on Friday declined to form a Commission to investigate allegations surfaced in Panama Papers, arguing that a Commission under the government-prepared Terms of Reference (TORs) would be a “toothless” and cause ‘bad name’ to the Institution.
In response to a letter written by the federal government on April 22 to constitute a Commission to probe Panama Papers revelations, the Supreme Court on Friday excused itself from being involved in the matter, saying since the government’s TORs lack details of the accused persons and proper legislation; therefore such a Commission would be ‘toothless’ and take years to end its proceedings.
The opposition parties are claiming that their stance on Panama Leaks investigation has been backed by the Chief Justice while the government argues that the Chief Justice didn’t decline to form the Commission rather he suggested certain legislation before the investigation.
Sources in the Prime Minister House are of the view that the Chief Justice in his letter didn’t even ask the government to consult the opposition over the TORs but he just suggested to legislate accordingly.
Opp demand frm FIA,NAB,judicial com,Parliament com, keeps shifting .SC response Natural.Issue can b resolved if opp stops playing politics
— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) May 13, 2016
Talking to media, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Spokesman Naeemul Haq said that the Chief Justice’s reply has vindicated our stance.
“We have already suggested legislation for the formation of the Commission,” he said.
The PTI Spokesman said that the government is not realizing the sensitivity and seriousness of the issue. He said that the government should bring flexibility in its behaviour.
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senior leader Senator Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan said that the government prepared the TORs based on mala fide and ill-intention. He said that they had refused to accept the government’s TORs on the very first day.
The PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira also argued that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government in the Centre has lost its case morally.
Earlier on Thursday on his way back to Pakistan from Tajikistan, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told newsmen that he was ready to present himself before the Commission for accountability; however, he maintained that the opposition could not question him in the Parliament regarding the Panama leaks.
The prime minster said that he wished that the Panama Papers issue be resolved in the Commission.
