Panama Papers: Pak PM Sharif says will prove his innocence

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Wednesday said his innocence in Panama leaks investigation will be proven through the accountability process.

PM Sharif said he had voluntarily nominated himself in the investigation of the matter despite the fact that his name is not in the Panama Papers.

He added that he desires that the investigation process concludes soon so that the reality is made evident. “Have clean hands, will surge through the accountability process,” he told a cabinet meeting here.

PM Sharif directed the ministers not to respond to the allegations levelled by the Opposition parties and to focus on the developmental projects.

The cabinet ministers informed the PM that the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has admitted that the Prime Minister’s name was added by mistake.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Wednesday claimed that Sharif family was using state machinery to blackmail their political opponents. He said that the government should “probe and prosecute” if it has evidence of wrongdoing against anyone. The PTI chief said whenever the Sharif family’s wrongdoings were exposed, they target political opponents.

He further said PTI leader Jahangir Tareen had given documentary proof of no loan write offs and he will be seeking legal action against those hurling false accusations against him. Imran Khan has already announced a protest movement against the Prime Minister and his government in reaction to the Panama Papers. Prime Minister Sharif said on Friday he would ask the Supreme Court set up an investigation into revelations about his finances made in the leaked Panama Papers, bowing to opposition demands to strengthen the enquiry. Earlier this month, leaked documents from the Mossack Fonseca law firm in Panama showed Mr Sharif‘s sons Hassan Nawaz Sharif and Hussain Nawaz Sharif and daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif owned at least three offshore holding companies registered in the British Virgin Islands. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which studied the papers, said those companies had engaged in at least $ 25 million in property and acquisition deals. Mossack Fonseca denies any wrongdoing, as does Mr Sharif.