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Updated 20 Jan, 2017 08:43am

Opposition moves privilege motion against PM Sharif

Opposition leaders in the National Assembly on Thursday moved a privilege motion against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over alleged "contempt of the House".

The motion was moved under Rule 95 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the NA, 2007 by the leader of opposition and others.

It stated that "the plea taken by the premier's lawyer in the apex court on Jan 16, to do away with the PM's speech in the assembly" explaining a money trail of the first family is an admission that "the prime minister did not tell the truth to the assembly."

The document went on to read that details of the family's money trail declared before the House by the premier himself and those shared by his lawyer in the Supreme Court contradict each other and the fact "illustrates that the prime minister willfully deceived the House on the issue."

The privilege motion, submitted in the presence of Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah, also stated that a debate should be held on the topic in the House regarding the subject.

"This is blatant breach of the privilege of the whole House. The matter should immediately be taken up for discussion and action," it read.

Shah questioned why the premier was seeking immunity if he had earlier stated in his speech that he possesses all relevant evidence regarding his stance on the Panama Papers.

BBC Urdu reported that it is expected the privilege motion would be submitted in the next session of the National Assembly.

The National Assembly is set to resume its session on Jan 26.

Earlier this week during the hearing of the case in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, PM's counsel said that they would also be talking about the PM's speeches, Maryam Nawaz's status as a dependent and the matter of her alleged ownership of the family's London properties.

Makhdoom Ali Khan, the PM's counsel, argued that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's speech delivered in the National Assembly last year following the Panama leaks has no discrepancies or misstatements and that even if it had, the country's premier has immunity from prosecution.

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