LAHORE: Presenting 13-point proposed terms of reference (ToRs) framed by the Jamaat-i-Islami for probing the Panama Papers here on Friday, party emir Sirajul Haq has appealed to the Supreme Court chief justice to investigate the issue considering it as a national duty so as to recover the plundered public money.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Haq said only an autonomous and all-powerful commission headed by the CJP was acceptable to the nation.

“The commission must be announced immediately and it should begin work within a fortnight by asking all those named in the Panama leaks to provide sources of their earnings.”

The JI chief also sought a legislation to check corruption in future as well as for giving cover to investigations and penalties imposed by the proposed commission.

He said the investigation should be in phases beginning with the prime minister and his family members and the judicial commission should confine its probe into the Panama leaks for the time being.

He described the ToRs sent to the CJP by the prime minister as a Pandora’s Box that would lead to nothing and announced sending his party’s ToRs to the premier and the CJP as well.

The inquiry commission should look into the assets of around 200 people named in the Panama Papers and their sources of income, he said, adding the panel could seek the assistance from the FBR and other institutions concerned for the purpose.

It should ascertain if these people had fully paid taxes on their earnings and had not indulged in tax evasion.

The commission should ascertain from the State Bank of Pakistan, other commercial banks and financial institutions, foreign banks working in the country, security exchange and other institutions whether the money had been transferred from the country in a lawful or unlawful manner and that the law of the land had not been violated in the process.

All national investigating authorities should be answerable to the commission and bound to cooperate with it without any official pressure, say the proposed ToRs.

The judicial commission would have the authority to arrange general and forensic audit of all relevant documents by local as well as foreign experts and would complete its inquiry within two months and find out those who had been guilty of unlawful earnings, minting money through corruption, transferring wealth abroad, and doing illegal business, tax concealment and tax evasion.

It would have the authority to debar the guilty from holding any public office for life and confiscate their assets, besides taking action against those who tried to obstruct or influence its working and also to remove them from their posts.

The commission would have cooperation from the international institutions, the UNCACO, MLR and the foreign office, Mr Haq said.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2016