PM Imran Khan’s ‘high-level cell’ starts investigating individuals in Pandora Papers

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Inspection Commission (PMIC) has started its proceedings to investigate the revelations made by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) about offshore companies and the assets of some Pakistani individuals.

Pakistani Journalists Umar Cheema and Fakhar Durrani, who were associated with the ICIJ probe, have also been requested to share information and data with the commission, confirmed Radio Pakistan on Thursday.

Earlier in October, ICIJ – a Washington, D.C.-based network of reporters and media organizations – had leaked documents with names of 35 current and former national leaders and more than 330 politicians and officials in 91 countries and regions with secret stores of wealth.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Shaukat Tarin, Faisal Vawda, Abdul Aleem Khan and Khusro Bakhtiar were names in the leaks. Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s (PML-Q) Chaudhry Moonis Elahi, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ishaq Dar’s son and Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Sharjeel Memon were also among the 700 people with alleged links to offshore companies.

The main opposition parties in Pakistan, including the PML-N and PPP, had called on the premier to order cabinet ministers and aides named in the infamous leaked financial documents to resign from office and face investigation. On the other hand, PTI leaders had denied any wrongdoing.

Later PM Khan announced said his government would investigate all Pakistanis mentioned in the latest documents and formed a high-level cell.

The PMIC will complete its task and formulate recommendations after a comprehensive review and analysis of the relevant records.