LAHORE - The government team has once again failed in winning Jamaat-e-Islami support on its ToRs for Panamagate probe, The Nation has learnt.

Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique and IT Minister Anusha Rahman yesterday met JI chief Sirajul Haq to win his party’s support on government made terms of reference but the latter expressed his concerns over the way government was handling this matter, a JI leader told this scribe quoting meeting discussion.

The meeting was held at JI headquarters in Mansora where the PML-N leaders shared the government-formulated 15-point ToRs with the JI leadership for probe into Panama leaks that revealed prime minister family’s offshore companies besides that of other hundreds of Pakistanis. Sirajul Haq was assisted by JI Secretary General Liaqat Baloch in the meeting.

It was for the third time that the government delegation met with the JI leadership. Khawja Saad met Liaqat Baloch at his residence on April 17 and after two days Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed and Khawaja Saad called on Sirajul Haq in Islamabad to convince the latter for supporting government stand on Panama leaks investigation.

JI did not issue any official statement about the yesterday’s meeting. But the JI leader told The Nation requesting anonymity that “Siraj Sahib clearly told Saad Rafique Sahib that the government is not serious in forming an independent and powerful commission on Panama leaks issue”.

The Jammat, however, received the government draft for discussing it with the party’s legal team. “We will take advice of our legal experts on government ToRs and then officially announce our decision,” he said. “We want transparent investigation into the Panamagate. The inquiry should start from the prime minister and then everyone named in Panama leaks should be investigated,” he said.

The JI leader said that Saad presented the amended version of the government framed ToRs saying that they included articles about indiscriminate action against corruption. “Saad said the government is dealing with the matter with seriousness and intends to unmask all corrupt elements.”

JI is part of opposition parties demanding investigation into the matter but is considered ideologically close to the ruling PML-N. Jamaat has history of having electoral alliance with the Sharifs but it parted ways with the PML-N during the tenure of former outspoken JI chief Syed Munawar Hassan. The party later made electoral alliance with Imran Khan’s PTI – which is most vocal against Sharifs.