TAXILA: Federal Minis­ter for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan on Monday hinted that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government might open other volumes of the joint investigation team’s (JIT) report in the Panama Papers case against the Sharif family.

He was talking to reporters after inauguration of gas supply schemes for three villages.

He said the government had opened only a few volume of the JIT report in the Panama Papers case against the Sharif family and it was now considering opening other volumes.

Read: A timeline of the Panamagate JIT's 60-day investigation

Mr Khan condemned those elements who were spearheading a smear campaign against the country’s institutions from London and Delhi.

Ghulam Sarwar accuses Nawaz of compromising country’s sensitive information

In reply to a question, he said the motive behind the opposition’s long march was to halt the accountability process against their leaders and to save their looted money. “No matter what the opposition does, its leaders will not get an NRO,” he added.

In reply to another question, he said the PTI government was taking all possible steps to bring former prime minister Nawaz Sharif back to the country. “Convicted Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif does not pose any threat to the government through his virtual speeches from the United Kingdom.”

Mr Khan alleged that Mr Sharif had targeted national institutions with mala fide intentions and tried to compromise the country’s sensitive information last week, adding that he should appear before courts to face corruption cases against him.

The minister said Mr Sharif’s medical board should be challenged and his medical report investigated.

In reply to a another question, he said directives had been issued to relevant departments to find officials who helped those pilots of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) who held fake credentials. Facilitators of pilots holding fake degrees would be punished according to law, he said.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2020