JI moves SC seeking probe against those named in Pandora Papers

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has moved an application in the Supreme Court (SC) seeking a probe against Pakistani nationals named in the Pandora Papers, it was reported on Monday.

JI chief Sirajul Haq filed the miscellaneous application in the Panama leaks case, requesting the top court to investigate people who, according to the Pandora Papers, own offshore properties.

Speaking outside the SC, Sirajul Haq said that as many as 700 Pakistani nationals featured in the Pandora Papers. “The entire Pakistani elite has been named in the Pandora Papers,” he said, demanding action be taken against them.

He lamented that the PTI government has clipped the National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) wings and accused it of giving itself an NRO-like concession by promulgating the NAB amendment ordinance.

Pandora Papers

The Pandora Papers is a leak of almost 12 million documents that reveal hidden wealth, tax avoidance, and, in some cases, money laundering by some of the world's rich and powerful, according to the International Consortium of Investigative (ICIJ) that worked on the project.

PAC drops discussion on Pandora Papers

The ICIJ, a global network of 280 investigative journalists in more than 100 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories, said that a 2.94 terabyte data trove revealed "names of members of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s inner circle, high-rank former military officers, as well as renowned business and political personalities, own secret offshore assets".

The investigation is based on a leak of confidential records of 14 offshore service providers that give professional services to wealthy individuals and corporations seeking to incorporate shell companies, trusts, foundations and other entities in low- or no-tax jurisdictions, said the ICIJ. "The entities enable owners to conceal their identities from the public and sometimes from regulators. Often, the providers help them open bank accounts in countries with light financial regulation."

Over 700 Pakistanis named in ICIJ's 'Pandora Papers'

The 2.94 terabytes of data, leaked to ICIJ and shared with media partners around the world, arrived in various formats: as documents, images, emails, spreadsheets, and more.

More than 330 politicians and 130 Forbes billionaires, as well as celebrities, fraudsters, drug dealers, royal family members and leaders of religious groups around the world feature in the list.

'Govt will investigate all those mentioned in Pandora leaks'

Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the government will "investigate all citizens mentioned in the Pandora Papers and if any wrongdoing is established we will take appropriate action."

"I call on the international community to treat this grave injustice as similar to the climate change crisis," tweeted Khan after ICIJ's report.