NEW YORK – Minister for Interior Affairs Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has said that progress has been made towards setting up a commission to undertake the task as the government wants a transparent investigation into Panama Papers.
Speaking to US-based Pakistani journalists at the residence of Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi, the minister expressed the hope that an announcement about the formation of the commission might be made in next 48 hours.
Nisar, who was closely questioned about Panama Leaks, acknowledged the delay in establishing the commission, saying the atmosphere had become so charged by some inflammatory statements that two of the retired judges of the Supreme Court declined the offer to head the investigative body.
He said demands from parties and individuals had varied from a judicial commission to an inquiry by the Parliament. But now the work had picked up pace and there would be a positive outcome, he said. He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was the first to react to the revelations of Panama Papers and he himself proposed a judicial commission in his broadcast to the nation on April 10.
Replying to a question, he said that security situation had considerably improved during the last two years. Although some anti-state elements were still trying to create trouble, their activities had been much reduced.
Regarding the activities of RAW, the Indian spy agency, and the arrest of Indian naval officer Kul Bhoshan Yadav, he said envoys of the permanent members of the UN Security Council – Britain, China, France, Russia and the United states – had been briefed on the case as also the Iranian government. He called it a serious matter, saying the government would pursue to get to the bottom of the case.
About the emergence of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton as the potential nominees for president, the minister said Pakistan had relations and deals with the US, not political parties.
