ISLAMABAD: A two-member bench of the Supreme Court will hear on June 9 a petition filed by Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haque for an investigation against all Pakistanis involved in the Panama Papers.
A bench comprising Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and Justice Aminuddin Khan will hear the case filed in August 2016 next week. The JI chief asked the court to investigate all the 436 Pakistanis whose names are listed in the Panama Papers. In April 2016, about 200 and later 400 more people were named in the Panama Papers.
Among them were Pakistani businessmen and politicians, including members of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s family who were accused of setting up offshore companies in tax havens. Notices have been issued to make Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan and others parties to the petition. In its petition, Jamaat-e-Islami has requested the Supreme Court to direct the federal government to charge Panama Leaks under Article 184(3) of the Constitution without naming any politician or businessman. In establishing offshore companies
The Jamaat-e-Islami emir submitted: “A large number of people, many of whom hold government offices, were also allegedly involved in the above crimes and disclosed their investments through offshore companies. had not made any mention in the details of their assets, therefore all such public office holders may be disqualified from their offices and punished accordingly.
Instead of making a politician or businessman a respondent, the petitioner chose to make the Federation of Pakistan, Ministry of Law, Ministry of Finance, Cabinet Division and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) through its Chairman as respondents. The petitioner recalled that despite the fact that the Supreme Court had on May 16, 2016 sought the list of owners of the said offshore companies and details of individuals, families, groups, companies, etc., which the “Commission of Inquiry” required. . But the respondent (Government) deliberately did not provide the list.
“It is regrettable that the respondents are deliberately delaying and avoiding any inquiry into the alleged corruption leaks … resulting in failure to recover public funds from abroad and Due to this, the country is facing severe financial difficulties”, said the JI chief. The petition added: “It appears that the respondent NAB is not initiating any proceedings or inquiry/investigation under the provisions of the NAO, 1999, despite the fact that eradication of corruption is the sole objective of the NAB.”
According to the petition, since April 2016, NAB has not taken cognizance of the matter, whereas under NAO dated 18, 1999, respondent No. 5 is empowered to take suo moto action against all cases of graft and corruption, the petition said. According to. . “Cases of corruption and misappropriation of public money worth trillions of Pakistani rupees were allegedly brought to light, but NAB did not initiate action/inquiry in even a single case reported in the media.”
The petition states that corruption and misappropriation have allegedly been committed by the owners of the said “offshore companies”, who hold public offices in Pakistan and are in opposition parties. It further said that owners of offshore companies illegally transferred and invested public money abroad from Pakistan, without the knowledge of the state, to build their own business based on illegal and corrupt money. “Offshore companies” can be set up.
Public money has been allegedly embezzled through graft, corruption and kickbacks, the petition said and said that the matter therefore requires the immediate intervention of this Hon’ble Court, Sirajul Haque submitted. It also stated that the immediate arrest of the culprits and strict action to recover and repatriate them would be in the general interest of public prosperity and development of the people of Pakistan.
In the application, the petitioner has requested the court that in view of these submissions, the respondents should be directed to initiate an inquiry/investigation, followed by prosecution under the laws of Pakistan and the arrest of the culprits. And recovery instructions should be issued. And bring back to Pakistan people’s money which was illegally transferred from Pakistan to another country.
