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ISLAMABAD: A Senate committee has decided to scrutinise the expenditures incurred on advertisement in electronic and print media in defence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family's mention in the Panama leaks.
Senator Kamil Ali Agha, Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Information has summoned a meeting of the body on May 9 in response to the Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) demand.
The Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting will review the legal status of money spent on the advertisement defending the Sharif family and will examine whether it was from the national exchequer or not.
The PPP had lashed out on Thursday at the federal government for 'misuse' of public funds by issuing newspaper advertisements in defence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, whose family members are facing allegations of money laundering and corruption in the wake of the Panama Papers leak.
PPP also submitted a notice to the National Assembly Secretariat seeking a justification from the Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rasheed over the use of public funds to promote a personal and party agenda.
On Wednesday, the government released half-page colour advertisements in major newspapers carrying excerpts of a news item regarding a correction issued by the International Consortium for Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).
The committee will also discuss the federal government's ban on ‘Maalik’ movie in its May 9 meeting.
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Comments (37) Closed
Apr 29, 2016 07:08pm
Despite my 100% support for PTI, they need to learn from PPP to support their struggle with actual, formal actions in the Parliament and Senate. These forums are the only ones where the government will feel real pressure.
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Apr 29, 2016 07:18pm
Finally some good work coming out of PPP
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Apr 29, 2016 07:21pm
What a pity situation, instead to answer the panama leaks questions the PM and his family is on counter inquisition. Nawaz sharif is going to detract people attention by inaugurating projects which were done 3 to 4 times before
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Apr 29, 2016 07:27pm
Ask Sharifs do they pay any utility bills.
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Apr 29, 2016 07:35pm
This Panama leak is Nawaz Sharif's family issue. There's no need for the entire government machinery to come out and defend him. In developed countries, this behavior is not acceptable and amounts to cover up the wrongdoings of an individual.
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Apr 29, 2016 08:00pm
It is a larger issue than merely the 'half-page colour advertisements'. Has anybody kept track of the man-hours spent is mulling over this private and personal issue of a family whose head happens to be the PM. And this has been going on for all this time in official capacity.. Who pays for these 'public servants' on this matter. Are they even sensitive and sincere about the sacredness of the public trust. Just think about that and make your own judgement.
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Apr 29, 2016 08:01pm
It is about 3 years and this Government is not being allowed to perform its democratic duties. There must be suitable provision in the constitution to stop such hindrances as life grounding dharnas causing huge losses to the public and damages to the public properties etc. and stopping the government activities, which is always destructive and non-productive.
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Apr 29, 2016 08:19pm
@M.Saeed - He is rather "performing" well on building his family's fortune.
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Apr 29, 2016 08:29pm
@Harmony-1© : Now, let me know who is not doing so for the family? Otherwise, we must legislate through the Parliament to make it illegal for a person to contest election who has helped his family/children to be comfortable in future life.
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Apr 29, 2016 08:30pm
@M.Saeed Do you mean the opposition parties are trying to stop Government from further looting. Apart from Metro buses and now train what are the achievements of the current regimes ruled by royal families? No schools, no improvement in hospitals structures and no price controls over increases of stable food stuff
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Apr 29, 2016 08:31pm
Good decision by Senate Comittee, please probe,and if payment made from public money,ask NS to repay to public account forthwith, and tender apology.
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Apr 29, 2016 08:38pm
@M.Saeed - "Help families" even through corruption and tax evasion???
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Apr 29, 2016 08:45pm
thats why I only consider only one Pakistan NEWS credible which is DAWN.
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Apr 29, 2016 08:52pm
@nac Paris : I am not a PML(N) supporter. Nor did I ever voted for it in my life. On the contrary, I have twice voted for PTI, ever since I returned from my long stay abroad. But, the fact is, when democracy fails to perpetuate itself and only cause continued hardships for the ordinary man on street, I feel we are still not fit to opt it. For me, it is pure hypocrisy to talk democracy and walk on personal whims. I know Nawaz Sharif has never been allowed to complete his term twice before and is being led to the same end by his goon-cabinet in the third tenure. Those who have minds and merits are handicapped by the rules that make them to work under the orders of unqualified and fake credential holding Ministers and Advisers. What performance can emerge from such a hopeless democratic set-up?
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Apr 29, 2016 08:57pm
That would be the height of audacity of this government, if, after being accused of amassing wealth from suspicious sources in offshore accounts held by Sharif family, that the tax-payer money was yet wasted to defend the family in Pakistan media.
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Apr 29, 2016 08:59pm
@M.Saeed What has NS been doing until now?
Panama Papers only made the headlines and came to light in Pakistan just few weeks ago! Nobody hindered the PM from performing his duties.
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Apr 29, 2016 09:15pm
@M.Saeed ...it is perfectly democratic to question the PM or the ruling party about scandal of that magnitude. In fact it would be undemocratic to let it go and let the PM "help his family /children to be comfortable in future life"
As a prime minister, NS has responsibility to take care of the entire nation. To save taxes (even legal way) that could have been used for the betterment of the nation, merely for his children can not and should not be acceptable.
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Apr 29, 2016 09:27pm
@M.Saeed : There is something termed as 'Conflict of Interest'. E.g. if I work for an investment bank, I have to declare all my investments in fixed and equitable assets, and also for my wife and related persons and then during the employment am bound to get prior approval whenever I decide to change my position on any investment.
At the same time, I have to declare all the gifts from clients to ensure that my decisions can be scrutinised later to see if they have been influenced by any of these.
A national government should be bound by at least these rules if not more. I am not a student of constitutional law so don't know if these provisions already exist in our constitution but I can't see why not??
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Apr 29, 2016 09:31pm
Mr. Nawaz and his family are accused of committing crime of tax evasion , money laundering and embezzlement of public money. Instead of making counter allegations through public media by advertisement in.the print media to establish theirs innocence. They should appear before the court of competent jurisdiction and get themseleves absolved of charges in.due process of law. The fresh move of Senate to investige into alleged usage of public fund for contaminating public opinion is a right step in.a right direction at the right time. Applauds!
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Apr 29, 2016 09:36pm
@M.Saeed That army of cabinet ministers and advisers were chosen by the man himself. This reflects not very favorable for his choice of 'helpers' for him to run the affairs of the state which should be his number 1 priority. Democracy, like any system of governance is good only when it works for the benefit of all, more for the public than the 'on his majesty's servants'. In nations when masses are uneducated, ill informed and poor, it is the duty of those world-wise and well off in governing positions to uplift the down trodden ones and not perpetuate their misery by corruption, bad governance and exploitation of ignorance of the very masses. Public service is a full time job and not an ad hoc hobby.
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Apr 29, 2016 09:53pm
@nac Paris
Bus system and train system provides relief to ordinary Pakistanis who cannot afford even a bike. This is one of the great accomplishments of this government, which PPP and PTI has hard time digesting it. Why still people are voting for NS because they think that governments priorities are the priories of the ordinary Pakistanis. Recent win of Khalid Magsi of PML(N) agianst Yar Mohmand Rind of PTI is a clear example.
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Apr 29, 2016 10:05pm
BUT the info minister has already defend ed these ads and govt exp etc....so what more scrutiny is needed ?? The PM saheb should deposit the exp already incurred in govt account to end this matter and issue a public apology for wasting tax payers money.
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Apr 29, 2016 10:14pm
Very good discussions but to my surprise, nobody has ever asked this government why such big measures were taken against Axact when only NYT posted an article and folks were arrested and lost jobs, etc. But again, common sense in not very common in our society and politicians are very well aware of this... going back to sleep ;-)
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Apr 29, 2016 10:53pm
now we should come out of 50 year old mentality where public money were used for own interest
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Apr 29, 2016 11:41pm
@M.Saeed totally agree Dharna and damaging public properties bring people on the street and disturbing people life is almost criminal and undemocratic. But you should agree with PPP to bring this matter senate and government should liable to answer.
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Apr 29, 2016 11:41pm
All posts in reply to mine are correct in essence. But my only objection is about adopting irrational and negative means for getting anything positive out of it. Let the judicial commission formed by the PM start its deliberations against the person named Nawaz Sharif, on its given TOR and see if its results are acceptable. If not, only then take the other course of action.
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Apr 29, 2016 11:43pm
@Muhammad we are not developed country
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Apr 30, 2016 12:07am
@Shahid
NS has selected very good team of advisors and ministers.
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Apr 30, 2016 12:22am
@M.Saeed The Democratic setup seems very weak because of Nawaz Sharif himself. If he is so clean he can appoint an interim PM, ask CJ to set up a JC investigating the entire Sharif family and their properties using foreign auditors within a 3-month schedule. In his eyes he is clean so he should have no issues with such an enquiry, if he still has then it is Nawaz himself who is weakening democracy to protect his shady businesses.
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Apr 30, 2016 12:59am
@M.Saeed This Government has not come to power through democratic means but by manipulating the electorate process and rigging the elections. Therefore it does not enjoy the mandate of the people of Pakistan and hence it's legitimacy is in serious doubt
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Apr 30, 2016 01:43am
It is disgusting that NS is using public money to distract attention .This is why NS has to resign for an impartial inquiry. NS has to tell us how he got his billions.
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Apr 30, 2016 01:46am
Bit is not this the whole reason why businessmen go in politics? To serve their own interests using public money? Come on people! Don't act shocked. Remember the PPP politician who said corruption is their right on TV? Now it is the Sharifs turn to harvest :)
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Apr 30, 2016 01:57am
The king has no clothes.
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Apr 30, 2016 04:11am
Don't keep your hope high. Nothing going to happend in this case either.
Law of jungle applies in Pakistan, only stronger and powerfull can survive in the Pakistani political jungles. All the corrupts politicans have "immunity", they can't be trialed in any corruptions cases.
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Apr 30, 2016 04:52am
@M.Saeed
You mean the government is not being allowed to loot the country ?
Is that what you mean by the " Government is not being allowed to perform its democratic duties"?
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Apr 30, 2016 05:17am
With the aim to regularise the irregularity. They are above all misdoings unfortunately
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Apr 30, 2016 05:22am
@FB you have stayed too long abroad. Or worked too long in MNCs. This the purest form of corruption here in Pakistan. And our current rulers are experts in this form of corruption.
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