Political football

The Panama Papers have become a kind of political football for political parties. While the PM, whose family members have figured in the leaks, is trying to ward off the onslaught by proposing a commission, opposition parties – some of whose leaders have been involved in similar illegal and corrupt practices – are not totally united in demanding an impartial and powerful commission. They seem to be worried about skeletons in their own closet. Only Imran Khan, Aitzaz Ahsan and JI Ameer Dr Sirajul Haq have been forceful and vocal in demanding a thorough accountability of the PM.

Imran Khan’s obsession with the PM’s resignation is understandable, but it is important that he also include the accountability of all those who have been named in the leaks. It is imperative that this opportunity to initiate accountability of everybody who has been involved in depriving the state of revenues and legal resources through offshore companies must not be lost. The opposition should unite on this issue and should not lose its focus by only concentrating on a single family – even though the accountability of the ruling family is of prime importance.

Zaheer Ahmed

Islamabad