Nawaz’s speech a laudable initiative

PM says public debate on  offshore companies would die down in next few days

ISLAMABAD: Agonized by the barrage of allegations from his political rivals in the wake of Panama Papers leaks, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has presented his three children, Maryam, Hussain and Hassan for accountability by announcing to constitute a judicial commission.

However, the downside of an otherwise laudable initiative of the prime minister is that the controversy generated by the PanamaLeaks will drag for months, may be even longer, as the commission would hold its proceedings.

Its prolongation will bring no good name to him and others having offshore companies, now exposed. The public debate, now going no, would have died down in the next few days.

Nawaz Sharif was under no obligation to form such a  judicial forum, but still he chose this trajectory, which was generally viewed with approval by top lawyers barring exceptions associated with political parties.

Reputed attorney Salman Akram Raja hailed the decision and said it was a good step and now those who have hurling allegations should come forward and present credible evidence before the commission.

Another senior lawyer Ahmed Bilal Soofi also commended Nawaz Sharif’s move and said had the PanamaLeaks relating to Pakistan been handed over to one specific agency, the matter would not have been resolved. Every organisation like the National Accountability Bureau, Security Exchange Commission of Pakistan and Federal Investigation Agency has a selective and limited legal mandate to probe.

Finding fault with the commission by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawyer Hamid Khan and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) advocate Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan did not come as a surprise. They will hardly ever be satisfied unless the Nawaz Sharif government goes and they come to power. However, Aitzaz Ahsan ignored the fact that Benazir Bhutto and Rehman Malik of his party are also named in the PanamaLeaks for having offshore companies.

Now, as the prime minister rightly said, it is for the objectors to produce before the commission all the acceptable documents to prove that what they are accusing is correct. They have at hand a good opportunity to deliver and take revenue from the Sharif family.

Nawaz Sharif used his televised address to recount the ruthless excesses committed on his business family by the governments headed by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto and Pervez Musharraf, starting in 1971 and ending in 2008.

He tried to establish the point that the successive regimes muzzled the family business, making it pauper, but every time it bounced back and built up the empire. He said it was destroyed every time for political reasons.

The prime minister did not elaborate when he stated that he understands the real objectives behind the allegations against his children and said he did not want to waste time in dilating on it. It is believed that he has in mind the international ‘conspiracy’ being talked about by some of his team members.

In a sense, he distanced himself from the business dealings of his two sons when he declared that they are adults and are responsible for their doings. He has been named in the offshore companies.

The commission will only prepare recommendations, which will need investigation by different agencies later to lodge cases if any criminal liability was found. Its proposals will not be binding. The comprehensive facts about what the forum will do will be available when its terms of reference will be made public.