ANP opposes opposition demand of PM resignation over Panama Leaks: Asfandyar Wali

Lahore: Awami National Party Chairman Asfandyar Wali Thursday said his party was not in favour of resignation from the prime minister on Panama leaks and demanded across the board accountability of all those whose names were there.In a statement issued here, he said that the prime minister had just allegations against him in Panama papers and in such a situation, the ANP feels demand for resignation would be unjust.

Asfandyar said that accountability should not be confined to Panama leaks rather across the board accountability of all should be initiated without discrimination.

It was totally unjust to hold only Sharif family accountable on Panama issue. “I cannot understand the logic of ‘Captain’ who blames others as thief while justifies and rationalizes his own peoples’ accounts in offshore companies,” Asfandyar said.

The ANP leader emphasized the political leadership for introducing new legislation for elimination of corruption and indiscriminate accountability of all, saying that Imran Khan was demanding constitution of a commission on Panama leaks while rejected the same demand on the Khyber leaks issue. He said that those should also be held accountable who committed corruption in the name of Afghan Jihad and those who got their loans written off. He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was suffering due to Imran’s politics of Punjab and Islamabad. Interstingly some of his coalition partners left the PTI government in KPK on the charges of corruption but same coalition partners were included in the provincial cabinet by giving them a clean chit, he added.

Who would conduct inquiries on the allegations of PTI’s former minister Zia ullah Afridi and chairman Provincial Ehtesaab Commission General (R) Hamid, Asfandyar raised question.

Referring to terrorism, Asfandyar suggested that United States, China and Iran should play their pivotal role as guarantors for peace agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The military operations and war against terror could not yield results until peace was restored in Afghanistan, he added.