ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s opposition on Monday called on Prime Minister Imran Khan to order cabinet ministers and aides named in leaked financial documents known as the Pandora Papers to resign from office and face investigation.
Major news organizations published the leaked documents on Sunday.
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), a Washington, D.C.-based network of reporters and media organizations, said the documents link about 35 current and former national leaders and more than 330 politicians and officials in 91 countries and territories to secret stores of wealth.
Among those named in the papers are more than 700 Pakistanis, including several members of Khan’s cabinet, Pakistani partners of the ICIJ said.
Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, who was among the Pakistanis identified, told Geo TV everyone would be investigated, including himself. He denied wrongdoing.
The ICIJ did not say how the files were obtained, and Reuters could not independently verify the allegations or documents detailed by the consortium.
A spokeswoman for the main opposition Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) party of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told Reuters Khan had to remove all of those identified in the files.
“Imran Khan is bound to direct all his ministers and aides named in Pandora leaks to resign with immediate effect,” Maryam Aurangzeb, the spokeswoman for Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) opposition party of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, told Reuters.
The Supreme Court sacked Sharif as prime minister in 2017 on corruption charges after his family’s London properties came to light in an earlier leak of documents known as the Panama Papers. Sharif, who lives in self-exile, denied wrongdoing.
Khan said his government would investigate all of those mentioned in the latest documents.
“If any wrongdoing is established we will take appropriate action,” he said on a Twitter.
Sherry Rehman, a leader of the opposition Pakistan People’s Party, questioned “shallow” accountability slogans.
Pakistani opposition urges PM to remove ministers named in Pandora Papers
https://arab.news/pt249
Pakistani opposition urges PM to remove ministers named in Pandora Papers
- The document dump lists more than 700 Pakistanis, including several members of Khan’s cabinet, who have hidden wealth
- Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, among Pakistanis identified, says everyone would be investigated, including himself
Afghan interior minister welcomes Pakistani scholars’ ‘positive’ remarks about Kabul
- Pakistani religious scholars on Dec. 23 called for easing tensions between Islamabad and Kabul, resumption of trade
- Sirajuddin Haqqani says Afghanistan is committed to regional peace, Afghans have “no intentions to threaten anyone”
PESHAWAR: Afghanistan’s Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani recently thanked Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and religious scholars from the country for expressing positive statements for Kabul despite tensions between the two countries.
A meeting of religious scholars in Pakistan on Dec. 23, attended by Jamiat Ulama-e-Pakistan political party head Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, called for easing tensions between the two states. The scholars also called for allowing resumption of trade and movement of people between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Pakistani news media outlets reported on Saturday that Dar, who is also Pakistan’s foreign minister, praised Haqqani’s earlier statement in which the Afghan minister stressed resolving tensions between Islamabad and Kabul through dialogue.
In a video statement on Sunday, Haqqani said Afghanistan is committed to peace and stability in the country and the region, adding that Afghans have “no intentions to threaten anyone.” He appreciated Rehman and religious scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani for speaking in a “positive” manner about Afghanistan in the Dec. 23 meeting.
“We are thankful and grateful for their approach and views,” Haqqani said.
“Similarly, we really appreciate the positive remarks by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who spoke in a positive way about Afghanistan.”
The Afghan minister’s statement comes in the backdrop of increased tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan amid a surge in militant attacks in the latter’s territory.
Pakistan blames Afghanistan’s government for facilitating attacks by the Pakistani Taliban or TTP group. Islamabad accuses Kabul of allowing TTP militants to take shelter in sanctuaries in Afghanistan from where they carry out attacks targeting Pakistan.
Kabul denies the charges and says it cannot be held responsible for security lapses and challenges in Pakistan.
The two countries engaged in fierce border clashes in October that led to the killings of dozens of soldiers and civilians on both sides. Pakistan and Afghanistan subsequently agreed to a temporary ceasefire and have held three rounds of peace talks that remained inconclusive.
Tensions persist as Pakistan has vowed to go after militants even in Afghanistan that threaten the lives of its citizens. Afghan officials have warned Pakistan of retaliation if it attacks Afghanistan.
