Pakistan: Plea filed in SC seeking action against accused in Pandora Papers, Panama Papers

In a major setback for the Imran Khan-led government, a plea has been filed in Pakistan's Supreme Court in which the petitioner sought a probe for whosoever was named in the Pandora Papers and the Panama Papers. According to the reports of Dawn, the petitioner sought a transparent enquiry led by the federal law enforcement agency to determine if those named in the Pandora Papers and the Panama Papers had committed or indulged in any malpractice. "A petition has sought a direction for the Pakistani citizens named in the Panama Papers and the Pandora Papers to clear themselves by assuring the country's Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) that the investment made in the offshore firms were legitimate," Dawn newspaper reported. 

Further, the media report said the petitioner urged the country's top court to order the FBR to furnish an explanation from the accused persons named in the investigative report with supporting documentary evidence. Notably, the development came after millions of leaked documents dubbed the Pandora Papers and a worldwide journalistic partnership claims to have uncovered financial secrets of current and former world leaders, politicians and public officials in 91 countries and territories, including India. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) investigative report also brought attention to the use of offshore companies by Pakistani political players. The report claimed that people close to Prime Minister Imran Khan were involved in the purchase of offshore companies. 

"The foreign assets of those Pakistani citizens who could not justify such transactions should be frozen by the FBR within three months," the petitioner demanded. 

Pakistan Opposition call Imran Khan announcement "a complete hoax"

The plea calls for initiating legal proceedings to recover assets under the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative. Notably, it was suggested by the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) and was later ratified by Pakistan in August 2007. It is worth noting that the Prime Minister had announced to take strict action against those named in the Pandora papers. PM Imran Khan has been constantly facing the wrath of opposition leaders. According to Dawn, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Awami National Party (ANP) stated that Khan's inquiry cell was a "hoax" and an attempt to protect ministers and others affiliated with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and its allies.

(With inputs from ANI)

Image: AP, ANI, Representative