LAHORE: Protesting against alleged involvement of the ruling family in offshore businesses, opposition parties have rejected the prime minister’s offer of setting up a commission headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court to probe the issue and urged him to resign.

Jamaat-i-Islami Emir Srajul Haq has urged Nawaz Sharif to follow in the footsteps of Iceland’s prime minister and resign from his office on moral grounds.

Talking to members of the Press Gallery Committee here on Wednesday, he said Panama Leaks were a prelude to a voluminous book of corruption and sarcastically suggested administering anti-corruption drops to the rulers like anti-polio drops to children.

He said had institutions like the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) done their job the situation would have not reached that point.

He said trust of the masses (in the probe) would not be restored until it was conducted by three senior-most judges of the Supreme Court in the supervision of the Chief Justice of Pakistan.He sought trial of the corrupt under anti-terror laws and confiscating all wealth of those found guilty of corruption.

The JI chief noted that the prime minister did not explain why his family had set up offshore companies, usually meant to hide black money and receive kickbacks and commission. He said it was not proper for the prime minister’s family to do business through offshore companies.

PTI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leaders Jahangir Khan Tareen and Chaudhry Sarwar have said the prime minister’s offer is nothing but a farce.

They say the rulers should admit their corruption and seek apology from the nation and add that they should prove their innocence instead of asking people to prove them guilty.

They say the PML-N wants to constitute its hand-picked commission to get the Sharif family cleared of the corruption charges.

Tareen says the Panama Leaks has exposed the PML-N’s corruption and the party must leave the power corridors after tendering apology to the nation otherwise the rulers would face the fate of Iceland’s prime minister.

Chaudhry Sarwar demanded that the election commission disqualify the Sharifs for concealing their assets.PAT: Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief Dr Tahirul Qadri has rejected Nawaz Sharif’s offer and demanded a joint investigation team including representatives of all intelligence agencies and FBR to probe the issue.

Dr Qadri says the prime minister should resign at least during the investigation period to ensure a fair and impartial probe.

PAT activists, including women, held a demonstration in front of the Punjab Assembly against involvement of the Sharif family in Panama Leaks.

Led by Khurram Gandapur, Fayyaz Warraich, retired Maj Muhammad Saeed and Ahmad Nawaz Anjum, the protesters scaled all the obstacles to reach the main entrance of the assembly where they chanted anti-government and anti-Sharifs slogans.

Opposition leader Mian Mehmoodur Rashid showed solidarity with them saying the PAT took lead in protesting against involvement of the Sharifs in the Panama scandal.

JUP: Jamiat Ulema Pakistan President Pir Ijaz Hashmi and Punjab chief Qari Zawwar Bahadur also rejected the probe offer and demanded that the prime minister must resign following in the footsteps of the Iceland’s premier.

Tehrik-i-Istiqlal President Rehmat Khan Wardag has endorsed all the demands made by other opposition parties regarding Panama Leaks.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2016