ISLAMABAD: Playing the role of a mediator, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq persuaded Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to postpone his much-awaited speech on the Panama Papers leaks until Monday, so that legislators from across the aisle also have enough time to speak their minds.

But not one to be cowed, the prime minister said on Thursday that there was no justification for an opposition hue and cry after he had written to the chief justice to form a commission and probe the Panamagate.

“A few politicians are behaving like they are themselves a commission and are issuing self-made verdicts based on allegations,” the prime minister told media persons on his way back from Tajikistan, where he attended the launch of the Casa-1000 project.

He said that matters that had to be raised in parliament would be discussed, while questions that related to the judicial commission would be answered at that forum.

Sharif to address parliament next week; opposition says they will become disruptive if PM doesn’t hear them out

“It is my genuine desire that the commission led by the chief justice of Supreme Court be formed at the earliest,” he said.

The government had earlier announced that the prime minister would come to parliament and respond to the Panamagate-specific queries of opposition parties on Friday (today). But following a meeting with an opposition delegation on Thursday, the speaker said that he had contacted the Prime Minister’s Office to discuss how house proceedings could be conducted in a smooth manner.

Since the opposition was insisting that their parliamentary leaders be also given time to speak after the prime minister made his speech, the PM’s Office agreed that the prime minister should speak on Monday instead of Friday, the speaker said.

Sources close to the speaker said, however, that government ministers were not in favour of allowing all parliamentary leaders to make speeches after the prime minister gave his response. They were of the view that only the leader of the opposition should be given time after the prime minister.

However, the opposition side had already warned that it could only guarantee that proceedings would be ‘civilised’ if the prime minister promised to hear them out after finishing his own speech.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Dr Shireen Mazari told Dawn it appeared as if the speaker had agreed to the opposition’s proposal, adding that they would remind the speaker of their demand on Monday. “Our conduct in the house will depend upon the firm assurance that the prime minister will listen to us,” she said.

Separately, talking to media persons outside the Parliament House, Senate Opposition Leader Aitzaz Ahsan said that ministers and spokespersons for the government had implied through their statements that it wasn’t necessary to answer the opposition’s questions.

“They tried to answer the questions very briefly and said that the relevant authorities have the prime minister’s tax data. We need a far more comprehensive response,” said Mr Ahsan. He said opposition members will be asking a lot of questions of the PM, and if the PM’s speech was unclear, and the volley of questions will only increase.

“The PM cannot escape this process [in parliament]. We await his detailed responses before the house,” he said, adding, “we want the matter to be placed before a judicial commission, which is why we have developed the terms of reference.”

“At the commission stage, there won’t be only seven questions, there will be 700 questions. The PM will have to answer both in parliament and before the commission.”

PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the attitude of the government reflected that they wanted to escape and were not willing to answer the questions. “It doesn’t seem like they have the courage to face the house that elected them and answer their queries,” he said.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Qureshi said: “We do not want to vitiate the atmosphere, but we should get the opportunity to present the opposition’s point of view before the PM. We will listen to each and every word he says diligently, but he should hear us all out.”

Sheikh Rashid, who was also present, said if the PM’s tax returns were available with FBR, then they should be presented before the house.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2016