Sharif family to get clean chit in Panama Papers case: Dr Tariq Fazal

Sharif family to get clean chit in Panama Papers case: Dr Tariq Fazal
APP67-05 ISLAMABAD: December 05 - Minister of State for CADD, Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and PML-N MNA, Daniyal Aziz addressing a press conference at PID Media Centre. APP photo by Irshad Sheikh

ISLAMABAD, Dec 5 (APP): Minister for Capital Administration and Development Division Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry Monday said Sharif family would get a clean chit in Panama Papers case in the Supreme Court as Pakistan Tehreek i Insaf (PTI) had failed to provide any evidence.

Speaking at a press conference here, he said Pakistan Muslim League (N) wanted early decision of the cases in apex court so the nation’s time was not wasted further.

The minister said Pakistan Tehreek i Insaf (PTI) was using delaying tactics in cases in the Supreme Court and Election Commission.

The PTI accused Sharif family of corruption, money laundering, tax evasion and hiding assets but it failed to produce any evidence to prove its claims in the Supreme Court, he added.

The PTI was now relying on the documents provided by Sharif family to make arguments in the court, he added.

He said there was no contradiction in the statements of prime minister about his family business.

The minister said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had approved the financial plan of Diamer Bhasha Dam.

The dam project was approved by Council of Common Interests (CCI) in 2009 and then work on it was started by the present government.

The acquisition of land for the project was complete and practical work on the project costing Rs 1000 billion, would start next year.

The dam would produce 4500 megawatts of electricity and 4.5 million acre feet (MAF) would be stored in it, he added.

He said WAPDA was also asked to arrange commercial funds for the dam construction, he added.

The minister said the Prime Minister also approved renaming of National Centre of Physics, Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) to Dr Abdul Salam Physics Centre.

Dr Abdul Salam was awarded nobel prize in 1979 and his name was held in high regard in international universities for research in physics.

The government had also approved 500 scholarships every year for students having distinction in physics, he added.

Member National Assembly PML-N Daniyal Aziz said Imran Khan and Jehangir Tareen were given reminders and repeated warnings to submit their replies in cases before the Supreme Court and Election Commission.

Now Imran Khan submitted reply about his assets to the Election Commission but his lawyer failed to appear for the case.

He said Imran Khan himself was the first person in Pakistan who owned an offshore company.

Daniyal said there were clear contradictions in the statements of Imran Khan and his former wife Jemima Khan about purchase of 300 kanal property in Bani Gala.

Contrary to claims of Imran Khan, Jemima Khan never gave him any money as loan for the purchase of Bani Gala property, he added.

He said Jehangir Tareen had to return Rs 70 million on the orders of Securities and Exchange Commission (SECP) for crime of insider trading.

He said Jehangir Tareen was doing business in the name of his cook Allahyar and gardener Haji Khan.

Information was being gathered about these two persons from the SECP to bring them before public, he added.

He criticised Pakistan Tehreek i Insaf for rolling back action against corruption in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and removing head of provincial accountability after he opened corruption cases.

APP Services