National News

ISLAMABAD, (APP): The government on Friday introduced
in the National Assembly a bill to provide for the constitution of
Commissions of Inquiry- called as “The Pakistan Commissions of
Inquiry bill 2016,” apparently to settle panama paper leak issues
and tackle such issues in future as well.
Introducing the bill, Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid
said that the bill had wide scope providing for granting enhanced
powers to the commission being set up under 1956 Act to probe not
only matter of Panama but also to prevent such illegal practices in
future as well.
He said the government had been struggling all along to
resolve the issue and Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in his
first address to the nation had urged the Supreme Court to form a
commission to investigate the Panama scandal but the latter threw
ball in the government’s court with observations that under 1956
Act commission would have limited scope and powers.
Thus, the government was asked to draft Terms of References
(TORs) for a commission to investigate the issue.
Accordingly the government formed a committee comprising six
members each from the opposition and the treasury benches and it
held eight meetings which remained inconclusive, he added.
He recalled during the first meeting the committee made progress
and the government showed flexibility at every stage.
He said during its first meeting, members agreed on preamble but
in others meetings the opposition’ stance got tougher and tougher,
trying to work out Prime Minister-specific TORs.
While he added, the government wanted to have complete inquiry so
that to resolve not only the offshore shareholders, but to prevent
corruption cases in future as well.
So for in the country’s history, he said, all commissions in
country have been constituted under the 1956 Act except that one
under which 2013 general elections were held.
Another bill further to amend the Post Office Act, 1898 [The
Post Office(Amendment) Bill, 2016] was tabled in the House. The bill
was moved by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab
Members of the opposition benches rejected the bill and
said they would oppose it ‘tooth and nail’ at all levels.
PPP Parliamentary leader in the National Assembly Syed Naveed
Qamar said such a bill would bring no result and added that it was
just wastage of time as government wanted to prolong the issue.
He said the opposition would also oppose and reject it in
committee’s meeting.
PTI’s deputy parliamentary leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi while
opposing the bill said it would further escalate tension in the
country.