ISLAMABAD: President of Pakistan Arif Alvi has said that Pakistani people mentioned in Pandora Papers must be investigated for illegality and source of money.

Speaking exclusively at Aaj News program, President Alvi said it was still to be determined as to how much money was held in the accounts of the owners of the offshore companies.

Prime Minister Imran Khan rightly said that the issue of offshore companies should be investigated and action should be taken against those who stole the public money, he added.

He said it was cruel to steal money and stash it abroad in safe havens.

The President cited example of East India Company which looted wealth of the Indian subcontinent whose people did not get anything in return.

He said Pakistan was cleaning its system to stop its wealth from going out.

It was not a crime to form an offshore company and send money from Pakistan through legal channels, he asserted.

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) could investigate the issue or judiciary could form a commission..

The President said the breast cancer claims thousands of lives every year just because of delayed diagnosis and lack of awareness.

He said women should be empowered so that they could own their properties and did not gift them to male family members because of pressure.

The law was present to ensure that women get the inherited property, he said and underlined the need for implementation of the property laws. “We are running a campaign to ensure women get their properties.”

Exchanging views on the situation in Afghanistan, the president said Pakistan played a positive role in evacuation of foreign nationals from Afghanistan, adding extremists in Afghanistan should not get an opportunity to dominate