Page 13 - Pakistan Link - January 29, 2020

PAKISTAN JANUARY 29, 2021 – PAKISTAN LINK – P13
Broadsheet Probe Empowered ‘Broadsheet Is Fraudsheet’: Maryam

to Dig Deep into the Past Threatens to Spill the Beans unless Azmat
Saeed Recuses Himself from Inquiry

Islamabad: The one-man commis- to the competent judicial author-
sion being constituted after Tues- ity in another country, seeking its

day’s approval by the cabinet may assistance in the examination and
have a wider scope to probe not only recording of evidence of a witness
affairs of the Broadsheet contro- residing abroad, besides no suit or

versy, but also to ponder over why legal proceedings lie against the
the state suffered hugely because of commission.

the half-hearted and misdirected at- The task of the fresh commis-

tempts to retrieve assets stacked in sion, the source said, might include
foreign investment havens. probing what was the fate of efforts

An informed source privy to through which hard earned money
the development told Dawn on of the state was allegedly squan-
condition of anonymity that though dered by the previous governments
the terms of reference (ToR) of the in discovering Surrey Palace, Swiss
inquiry commission are yet to be accounts, fake bank accounts, etc.
determined, its scope may also en- Initially, on Jan 19, the cabinet
compass what has become of those had formed an inquiry committee
individuals whose names surfaced with a task to probe in 45 days the
in the UK court’s December 2018 fresh revelations in the quantum

final award on quantum in the case award and then fix the responsibil-

of asset recovery firm — Broad- ity to those who laundered money

sheet LLC — but what transpired Former Supreme Court judge Azmat to offshore banks. PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz addresses the media outside the Khokhar

next is shrouded in mystery. Saeed Sheikh The committee was to consist Palace in Lahore
On Tuesday, the cabinet decid- cedure, 1908, to summon and en- of representatives from the Federal Lahore: PML-N Vice President Mary- tion of the dispute.
ed to constitute a one-man commis- force the attendance of any person Investigation Agency (FIA) and At- am Nawaz on Wednesday once again “I have come to know that this
sion under the Pakistan Commis- to examine on oath, requiring the torney General Khalid Jawed Khan. called upon retired Supreme Court person whose name is Imran Khan,
sion of Inquiry Act, 2017. Former discovery and production of any But the attorney general objected judge Azmat Saeed Sheikh to recuse personally sat down and was monitor-
Supreme Court judge Azmat Saeed document, receiving evidence on to the appointment of the commit- himself from the inquiry into the ing the operation,” Maryam alleged,

Sheikh will man the inquiry com- affidavits, issuing commissions for tee and suggested constitution of a Broadsheet scandal, warning that her saying this measure had come after at-
mission. the examination of witnesses and commission to conduct an inquiry party would otherwise reveal details tempts to pressure the Khokhar broth-

When constituted, which is requisitioning any public record or into selection and appointment of about his past affiliations. ers and holders of political office in the

likely in a couple of days, the com- copy from any court. Trouvons LLC, Broadsheet and In- She was addressing the media af- PML-N.

mission will have the same power In view of the specific nature, ternational Asset Recovery Limited ter arriving at ‘Khokhar Palace’ to ex- “They were pressured; in every

of contempt as enjoyed by the high the federal government may by no- (IAR) and signing of the agreement press solidarity with the Khokhar fam- party demonstration they were told

court — punishing an individual tification confer additional powers in June 2000 between the govern- ily following the demolition of their to differ from the position of the party

for abusing, interfering or obstruct- of a criminal court under CrPC ment and these companies. property. leadership or leave the party and cease

ing the process of the commission to constitute special teams, or the The terms of reference may “Broadsheet is a fraudsheet,” she participation in activities,” the PML-N
in any way or disobeying any order international team to seek inter- also include identifying the cir- said, adding that the case was not a leader said, adding that they were also
of the commission or scandalizing national cooperation from foreign cumstances relating to cancellation new tactic of the government to trap “threatened”.
it or attempts to bring the com- countries or agencies to get infor- of the contract with Broadsheet and the PML-N but “an old net with very “When they refused to abandon
mission or its member into hatred, mation or evidence or any record. IAR in October 2003, in addition to big holes”. She reiterated the questions the party leadership and Nawaz Sharif

ridicule or contempt. The additional authority can the settlement with IAR in January raised by her party recently about then this retaliatory action was carried

The commission will have the also include issuance of a Letter 2008 and the purported settlement Justice Sheikh’s past affiliations with out against them.”

power under the Code of Civil Pro- of Rogatory or Letter of Request in May 2008 with Broadsheet LLC. the National Accountability Bureau, Strongly condemning the demo-
Broadsheet and the PTI. lition, she said the “rule of injustice”

Some Parties Back PPP’s No-Confidence PDM May Hold Its Feb 5 On Monday, the government had could not prevail. She stressed that the

Move against Prime Minister Rally at Muzaffarabad confirmed Justice Saeed as the sole PML-N “stands united” in the face of

member of the inquiry commission
“injustice and revenge” and by refusing
tasked with probing the scandal. to abandon Nawaz’s cause, the party
Islamabad: Despite PML- reach consensus on the is- Lahore: The Pakistan Democratic “Justice Azmat Saeed should ex- for the first time in its history had re-

N’s misgivings about PPP’s sue. Movement (PDM) may shift the venue cuse himself from this [investigation] fused to “bow down before injustice”
proposal of moving a no- However, his sugges- of its Feb 5 Kashmir Day rally to Muzaf- and admit that he was himself involved and the incumbent government.
confidence motion against tion was immediately chal- farabad, Azad Jammu Kashmir, where in it (Broadsheet case),” she added. “This is a historic failure which

the prime minister, PPP lenged by the PML-N, with Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected If he does not recuse, Maryam Imran Khan and his supporters had
leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf Ahsan Iqbal demanding Bi- to address the AJK assembly. said, the PML-N “would have to bring to face,” said Maryam, adding that the
said his party would try to lawal to “show numbers” to In a telephonic call to PDM chief to light facts which we could not previ- PML-N’s roots were entrenched deeply
convince those who had back up his proposal. Maulana Fazlur Rehman, PML-N su- ously”. into the “nation and the whole of Paki-
reservations, adding that A day earlier, in a par- premo Nawaz Sharif suggested the She alleged that Justice Sheikh stan”. In contrast, she said, the “PTI has
“some parties are already liamentary meeting of the change of the venue of the rally, which had “personally called and tried to no such thing, it is a one-man show

onboard”. PML-N which was chaired may be finalized in the next few days threaten officers of the PML-N gov- and when that person [Imran Khan]
Talking to DawnNewsTV on by Maryam Nawaz, several members after formal consultation among other ernment at the time” and sent certain weakens then this party will shatter

Wednesday, the former prime minister of the party had termed the proposal to components of the opposition alliance. “messages”. “It is [therefore] better for and scatter.”
said “moving a no-confidence motion move a no-trust motion against Prime According to the party insid- you to excuse yourself,” Maryam told Maryam claimed that in the next

against the prime minister is a demo- Minister Imran Khan “impractical”. ers, the earlier venue – Liaquat Bagh, the former judge. general elections, “no one will be ready

cratic option,” while pointing out that Speaking to reporters after at- Rawalpindi – had been decided as a part to take a ticket of the PTI and you will
the ruling PTI had a “thin majority” in tending the meeting, Maryam said Bil- of the build-up for the PDM’s planned Demolition of Khokhar proper- see that they can’t do a demonstration
Punjab and the Center. awal had said he would explain his pro- long-march. Since the long march dates ties or go amongst the people [...] the up-
“Some parties are onboard [with posal before the PDM leadership and were still not finalized, holding the Speaking about the demolition of coming events for them should compel

the idea of] a no-confidence motion now the matter would be discussed at Kashmir Day rally at Liaquat Bagh lost properties belonging to the family of them to look at their own party ….”

but some have reservations which will the opposition alliance’s platform. its justification, they said. PML-N leaders MNA Afzal Khokhar
be resolved by sitting together. We have The party asked PDM secretary Secondly, they argued that since and former MPA Saiful Malook Day-long operation

the PDM forum where we will present general Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to take the local leadership had recently ar- Khokhar in Lahore, Maryam alleged The structures razed during the
our [suggestion] and will listen to them up the matter with the PPP and PDM ranged a gathering in front of the Paki- that Prime Minister Imran Khan had operation included houses of Akmal
(the opposing parties),” he added. leaders. stan Election Commission headquarters himself monitored and overseen the Khokhar and Tahir Javaid (close rela-
Ashraf said the PPP wanted to ‘No-confidence move failed last on Jan 19, burdening it with arrange- operation. tives of Afzal Khokhar and Saiful Ma-

“use all constitutional options against time’: Earlier, in a press conference a ments for another show just two weeks The Punjab government had on look), a market, back walls and shan-

the government”. day after Bilawal spoke about introduc- down the lane was hardly justifiable. Sunday demolished several structures ties temporarily made by the workers.

Speaking about the reasons be- ing a no-confidence motion, PML-N’s “This prompted the change of site around houses of the Khokhar broth- The operation started at 6am on

hind the PPP’s move to overthrow the Iqbal said: “We think if Bilawal Bhutto for the rally. The PML-N will still host ers and their relatives near Johar Town Sunday after a team accompanied by

ruling party, Ashraf said “democracy Sahib has the numbers to bring a no- it but arrangements will now be made in a day-long operation. police officials reached the spot with
is in danger because of the incumbent confidence motion then he should cer- by the government of Azad Kashmir, or The operation was widely con- heavy machinery. The police encircled

government”. tainly show them. by Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, demned by the PML-N as an extreme the area and helped the team to com-
PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto- “We saw [previously] in the Sen- who is much better placed, in terms action to punish supporters of the op- plete the operation that continued for
Zardari had last week voiced the pos- ate where we had the [majority] of finances and other wherewithal, to position Pakistan Democratic Move- about 11 hours. A number of locals

sibility of sending the PTI government numbers but [despite that] the no- arrange the show. It also serves the ment. The Lahore High Court (LHC) had gathered on the spot and wit-

packing through a no-confidence mo- confidence motion was not suc- purpose of showing power where it is on Tuesday restrained the district nessed the operation. According to
tion and said all member parties of the cessful, so there is only one path we needed the most – the Kashmir valley. government from further demolish- the city district administration, the

PDM – a 10-party opposition alliance should follow, and that is, to pursue a Though it is still not absolutely final, a ing Khokhar Palace among other team retrieved 38 kanal land from

seeking to oust the government – will decisive long march against this gov- decision might come in the next few properties and directed both sides to the illegal possession of the Khokhar
be convinced to use this option and ernment.” days,” says a party insider. approach the civil court for the resolu- brothers.
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