Commission can summon from peon to President: Barrister Zafarullah

Lahore: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Human Rights Barrister Zafarullah Khan Sunday
said that the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the commission of Panama Papers were comprehensive and the commission could summon a peon to the President for investigations or witness.

Underlying legal aspects of the ToR at `Meet the Press’programme alongside Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid at the Lahore Press Club,
he said the commission, set up under 1956 law, would look into different issues including the illegalities of offshore companies,commissions, kickbacks and cases of written off loans.

Barrister Zafarullah said the commission was set up to investigate Pakistani citizens, people of Pakistan origin abroad and legal entities, partnerships and offshore companies,besides public office-holders who were involved in cases of commission, kickbacks and written off loans.

He said all federal and provincial government institutions, including FIA, NAB and police were at the beck and call of the commission with the powers to ensure forensic audit by audit companies. All the four big audit companies of the world had sub-offices in Pakistan and the commission could appoint any one of them as per its desire.

He dispelled the impression that the commission had some innate weaknesses and would not be effective.

The commission, he said, would fix responsibility and expose the people who had plundered public money. It could also give its recommendation on areas which it found important, he added.

Responding to a question, Barrister Zafarullah said the commission could summon people from a peon to the President for investigation and hold forensic audit while all agencies like FIA, police, NAB, FBR with federal and provincial institutions would be subordinate to it.

He said FBR was bound by law to provide information to the commission. Article 216 of the Income Ordinance made it binding on the FBR to share data, he added.

Zafarullah Khan said only people with privileges under the law were out of bound of the commission while every other person was required to provide information to it on demand.

To a question, he said Pakistan was a signatory of the Mutual Legal Assistance Convention and thus FIA, NAB and police could seek information from other countries. No time frame was fixed and the commission would decide investigate the matter in the shortest possible time.

To a query, he said the Cabinet Division would provide secretarial support and bear the financial cost of the investigations by the commission on the Panama Papers Leaks.

To another query, Barrister Zafarullah said it was the prerogative of the Chief Justice of Pakistan to decide the members of the commission. The government had requested the CJP to head the commission on Panama Papers.