LAHORE: The Lahore High Court today sought reply from the federal government and Election Commission of Pakistan in petitions seeking disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, PPP leader Senator Rehman Malik and other politicians allegedly involved in establishing offshore companies and concealing their assets from the public.
Justice Shahid Waheed of the LHC passed this order on a number of petitions filed by Gohar Nawaz Sindhu of PTI and others.
During the course of hearing, Advocate Gohar Nawaz Sindhu told the judge that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had established two companies abroad. He stated that some credible sources informed him that PM Nawaz Sharif was owner of two companies. He submitted that likewise, Rehman Malik had offshore companies. He said both the leaders concealed their assets while contesting election in 2013. Sindhu made PM Nawaz Sharif, his two sons Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz, daughter Maryam Nawaz, former interior minister Rehman Malik, the election commission of Pakistan, NAB and FIA as respondents in his petition.
He alleged that the top politicians including the Prime Minister were involved in transferring public money out of Pakistan and establishing offshore companies. He stated that public money was invested in offshore companies and it was also not shifted abroad through any legal means.
He asserted that these politicians concealed facts from the public and also did not disclose it while filing their nomination papers for parliament. He said that after admission of Hussain Nawaz about existence of their companies outside Pakistan, PM should be declared as disqualified to hold top democratic office.
He submitted that Hussain Nawaz was minor when offshore company was purchased outside Pakistan in 1993 and 1994 but the PM did not declare his assets before the Election Commission of Pakistan.
He stated the PM concealed facts from the public and thus, he could not be elected as member of national assembly. He prayed to order to the NAB to hold inquiry of the Panama matter and fix responsibility.
He further prayed to the court to declare Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and other politicians as disqualified. He further requested that Election Commission of Pakistan be directed to start inquiry against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for concealing facts from the public while submitting nomination papers. He prayed that sons and daughter of PM should also be barred from contesting elections in future.
