The opposition parties on Thursday submitted a privilege motion in the National Assembly Secretariat against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's 'untruthful' speech on the floor of the House on the Panama Leaks.
The privilege motion was signed by Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), Syed Naveed Qamar of PPPP, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Sheeren Mehrunnisa Mazari of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Shibzada Tariqullah of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Ghulam Ahmed Bilour of Awami National Party (ANP), Tariq Basheer Cheema of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and Aftab Sherpao of Qaumi Watan Party-Sherpao (QWP-S).
The motion, which was submitted by Khursheed Shah, referred to a plea by the Prime Minister's counsel in the Supreme Court in the ongoing Panamagate case. "The plea taken by the Prime Minister's lawyer in the Supreme Court on January 16 to do away with the Prime Minister's speech delivered in the National Assembly, while explaining the trail of funds used to purchase properties in London and elsewhere as mentioned in the Panama Papers, using Article 66 as a shield, is an admission that the Prime Minister did not tell the truth to the Assembly," the motion signed by seven other lawmakers said.
The motion has been submitted over discrepancy in the Prime Minister's statement in the Lower House of Parliament and his counsel's statement in the apex court.
The Prime Minister while speaking on the floor of the National Assembly on May 16, 2016 had explained the trail of funds used to purchase property in one of the most expensive areas of London. In that statement, he revealed the trail of money. During his speech, he said: "In 1972 my father went to Dubai and established Gulf Steel Mills. In 1980, he sold it for 30.37 million Dirham or 9 million dollars.
In 1999/2000, he set up a steel mill in Jeddah. The sale proceeds of Dubai factory were used for this purpose. In 2005, he sold Jeddah factory with all its land and assets for 17 million dollars. These were the sources and means used to buy London flats.
All record is available," it said and added that the details submitted by the Prime Minister's counsel in the apex court were "in sheer contrast with the ones stated by the Prime Minister in the House." It further said the discrepancy in the statements suggests that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif wilfully deceived the House on the issue, which is a clear case of contempt of the House. "As per Article 91(6) of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Prime Minister and the Cabinet are collectively responsible to the Parliament and have to state the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth," it said.
The privilege motion said, "this is a blatant breach of the privilege of the whole House. The matter should immediately be taken up for discussion and action."
-Business RecorderÂ
