ISLAMABAD, April 22 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz
Sharif Friday said he would write a letter to the Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to constitute a Commission to
probe into the allegations of Panama Papers.
“I have decided to write a letter to the honourable Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court to constitute a Commission to probe
this matter (allegations of Panama Papers),” the Prime Minister
said in his address to the nation on radio and television.
He said he would wholeheartedly accept the recommendations
of the Commission. If the allegations, levelled against
him proved wrong, then those accusing him, would have to face the
nation and seek its forgiveness, he added.
The Prime Minister referred to his earlier address to the
nation and said he had announced setting up of a Commission at
a time when there was no such public demand.
He regretted that his political opponents were
pressurizing the judges not to be a part of the Inquiry
Commission.
Nawaz Sharif said he was not afraid of anyone, but
Allah Almighty. “I have full faith in Him and the people
of Pakistan, who will respond to these baseless allegations.”
Rejecting what, he said, was a “fascist attitude” to
destroy and bring instability to the country, the Prime
Minister said the day allegations against him were proved,
he would not hesitate for a moment to go home.
He said the current crisis, made up by his opponents,
was nothing but an eyewash aimed at getting power, by
creating instability in the country.
The Prime Minister said immediately after the Panama
Papers issue came to the fore, he took the nation into
confidence, despite the fact that there was no allegation
against his person.
He said he announced setting up of a Commission to
probe the matter and clear once for all the allegations
levelled against him by his political opponents.
“These are all 22-year old allegations,” the Prime
Minister said and added that all these cases have been
probed several times. He said former President Pervez
Musharraf thoroughly investigated, but failed to find
misappropriation of even a penny.
“I once again present myself and my family for
accountability,” the Prime Minister said and added that
details of his assets as declared through his income tax
returns, were available.
“We have been paying taxes since the time, people
even did not know what tax was,” he said and added it
was his government that for the first time published
the tax directory.
He dismissed the allegations that he paid a little
tax as nothing but “blatant lies” and said the people
of Pakistan were well aware of the facts.
The Prime Minister said, the people of Pakistan
have in the past rejected such allegations and expressed
solidarity with him by reposing confidence in him and
voting for him in the general election.