KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has asked the PML-N government to stop “wrangling” on the issue of Panama Leaks and accept the terms of reference (ToR) proposed by the opposition without further delay to “escape itself from the worst aftershocks developing due to its attitude”.

“There is no middle way and prime minister and his family should undergo a transparent, acceptable and independent accountability to settle and sort out the issue of corruption in the country once for all,” said Mr Bhutto-Zardari.

He expressed these views while talking to PPP leaders, including central information secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira, former federal minister Nazar Mohammad Gondal and former MNA Chaudhry Manzoor at Bilawal House on Monday.

According to a statement issued by Bilawal House, the PPP chairman said: “Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his government and his party are making a great mistake by trying to avert the situation, which is impossible as the entire nation and the opposition parties are united for initiating an accountability starting from top down to bottom. There is no escape from Panama Leaks [investigation] as it has rolled several heads across the world for the intensity scandals, which has shaken the entire world.”

Mr Bhutto-Zardari said the PPP would not budge from its principled stand on Panama Papers investigations and would take along all the opposition parties.

Earlier, the PPP chairman expressed satisfaction over the performance of the party’s coordination committee of Sindh and directed it to speed up reorganisation process involving every worker and their opinion.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari presided over the meeting of Sindh PPP coordination committee at Bilawal House which was attended by Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Sherry Rehman, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Murad Ali Shah, Maula Bux Chandio, Nafisa Shah and Rashid Rabbani.

He directed the committee to include women among office-bearers for mother organizations and hold separate workers meetings for other wings like women, youth, students and labour.

The committee briefed the chairman about its activities so far as workers meetings had been completed in eight districts and some recommendations prepared through consensus and input from party cadres for their respective district organisations.

On the occasion, the PPP chairman also asked the chief minister to ensure that the Sindh government moves for anti-corruption legislation, with input from the civil society, to conduct impartial and independent accountability across the province.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2016