Panama Papers verdict echoes in legislatures of Sindh, Balochistan

KARACHI / QUETTA: The echo of the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Panama Papers case was heard in the provincial legislatures of Sindh and Balochistan on Friday, with the former demanding resignation of the prime minister and the latter reposing confidence in the leadership of Nawaz Sharif.

The spokesman for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has welcomed the judgement and said a resolution seeking resignation of the prime minister will be tabled in the current session of the provincial assembly.

The Sindh Assembly made the demand through a unanimously adopted motion which said PM Sharif had lost moral authority to lead the nation after the judgement.

The motion was tabled by Senior Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Nisar Ahmad Khuhro and signed by Health Minister Dr Sikander Mandhro.

After speeches made by a dozen of members from both sides of the aisle, Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani placed the motion before the house which passed it unanimously.

The motion reads: “This House is of the opinion that in light of the judgement passed by the honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan in the Panama (Papers) case, wherein two senior justices declared that the sitting Prime Minister is not Sadiq and Ameen and should be de-notified from public office.”

On the same subject the house also adopted a resolution unanimously.

In the resolution, which was submitted by Khurram Sherzaman and read out by Samar Ali Khan of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, it was pointed out that none of the justices of the Supreme Court be in the majority or minority gave the prime minister a clean chit.

The judges in their remarks have noted that the prime minister and his family have not been completely honest regarding the explanations about their properties.

“This House strongly believes that Mian Muhammad (Nawaz) Sharif has lost the moral authority to continue as Prime Minister of Pakistan and in the great national interest he should resign immediately,” said the resolution.

Meanwhile, a special session of the Balochistan Assembly unanimously adopted a joint resolution reposing confidence in the prime minister.

Commander of Southern Command Lt Gen Aamir Riaz witnessed the proceedings from the official gallery of the assembly.

Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, who moved the resolution, said they accepted the decision of Supreme Court but the opposition should not resort to haste and, instead, wait for the 2018 general elections.

Source: Dawn