ISLAMABAD, 11 MAY (DNA) – Government representatives on Wednesday responded to the questions raised by the opposition parties in regards to the revelations made in the Panama Papers.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders and federal ministers Daniyal Aziz, Mohammad Zubair, Abid Sher Ali and Tallal Chaudhary addressed a press conference in Islamabad and lambasted various members of the opposition parties while answering to the questions raised by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Aitzaz Ahsan earlier in the day.

Answer-1:

Answering to the first question, Tallal Chaudhary said that Hussain Nawaz, son of Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif, has already told that he owns the Mayfair flats, located in the United Kingdom, which he purchased after selling a factory situated in Saudi Arabia.

Answer-2:

Referring to the second question raised by Aitzaz Ahsan, Tallal said that this was an attempt to puzzle the public. He added that Hassan Nawaz gave an interview in 1999 regarding the property owned by him and the business he operates, further stating that the interview of his brother, Hussain, taken during the ongoing year, endorsed Hassan’s statements.

Answer-3:

Tallal answered the third question by stating that PM Nawaz was not named in the Al-Taufeeq case.

Answer-4:

Chaudhary, answering the fourth question, said that no offshore company is operating under the name of PM Nawaz Sharif.

Answer-5:

The fifth question was related to the PM’s income, the property he owns and whether he pays any tax or not. Tallal responded to this query by stating that the answer to these questions is present in the tax returns that were filed in the previous year.

Answer-6:

Answering to the sixth question, the PML-N leader said that all taxes, including the one related to property, were paid in accordance with the country’s laws.

Answer-7:

While answering Aitzaz’s seventh question, and the last one, Talal said that PM Nawaz and all members of his family paid taxes according to the law, he added that the record related to this query is with the related institutions.

Federal Minister Abid Sher Ali criticised the opposition by stating that it is wasting the public’s time, adding that the lot of thieves intends to hamper the progress being made in the country. He said that Aitzaz Ahsan’s wife is on top of the list regarding corruption, further adding that the PPP leader cannot even become a councilor and that he has no political future.

Ab Sher said that a new propaganda is being made prior to the PM’s return from Tajikistan. He also stated that the PM is making trips abroad for the betterment of the country and that the people do not believe in what Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan says.

Abid further labeled certain members of the opposition parties as political wolves further adding that the opposition intends to distort facts. Federal Minister Daniyal Aziz said that Imran Khan has yet again shifted from his stance, as he is now demanding investigation from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) instead of the commission formed to probe into the Panama Leaks.

He added that the question regarding forensic audit is no longer being raised by the opposition as they are afraid that investigation shall also be conducted against PTI leader Aleem Khan, Faisal Vawda and Imran Khan’s sisters. He added that opposition has abandoned the very Terms of References (TORs) it presented and that it intends to hinder progress by leveling allegations. DNA