ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The 12-member Parliamentary Committee will have its first meeting on Wednesday after the Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Tuesday notified the Committee relating to Panama Papers.
The Parliamentary Committee consists of six members each from the federal government and the opposition and its assignment is to draft terms of references (TORs) for a Judicial Commission to investigate allegations including those surfaced in Panama Papers.
The Federal Ministers Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Asif and Khawaja Saad Rafiq as well as National Party’s Mir Hasil Bizenjo and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl’s (JUI-F) Akram Khan Durrani will represent the government in the Committee.
Whereas Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Senator Aitzaz Ahsan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Awami National Party’s (ANP) Ilyas Bilour, Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) Sahibzada Tariqullah, Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) Senator Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif and Tariq Bashir Cheema of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) will represent the opposition.
The Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid will be ex-officio member of the Committee.
The Parliamentary Committee will have its first meeting at the Chamber of the Speaker at the Parliament House in Islamabad at 04.00 pm on Wednesday.
The federal government and the opposition parties reached consensus to form a 12-member Committee to draft TORs to probe allegations of Panama Papers on May 18, two days after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif while addressing the National Assembly had proposed setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee to prepare consensus and comprehensive TORs for the above mentioned purpose.
The Committee will not only draft TORs for investigation of Panama Papers revelations but other misappropriations including offshore companies, receiving commission or kickbacks, and getting bank loans written-off illegally will also come under investigation.
The Committee will submit its report to the Parliament within two weeks.
