Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif Refuses to Resign Amid Panamagate Row

The decision to convene today's meeting was taken during an "informal meeting" at the prime minister's house.

Written by: India.com News Desk

Published: July 13, 2017, 10:02 PM IST

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New Delhi, July 12: Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif on Thursday refused to resign despite demands made by the opposition for his exit in connection to the Panamagate row. The Panama case probe panel presented a report that recommended filing of a graft case against Sharif and his family.

Dawn Online reported how addressing the emergency Cabinet meeting in Islamabad, the Pakistani PM termed report of the  Joint Investigation Team (JIT) a pack of “allegations and speculations”. Emphasising the democratic method that made him the PM, he said that it was the people of Pakistan who have the power to remove him from the post.

Sharif pointed to the opposition parties who have been demanding his resignation following the release of the report, and said, “The people of Pakistan have elected me and only they can remove me from this post.” He also claimed that his family “earned nothing after entering politics, but lost a lot”. He added how the language used in the JIT report, according to him, displays malafide intentions.

Alleging conspiracy and asking those who demanded his resignation to reflect upon themselves, he said, “Those demanding my resignation on false and unwarranted claims should first look at themselves.” Sharif announced that he would not resign on demands of conspirers.

Reports claim that the Cabinet members suggested that Sharif must fight the legal battle to vindicate himself in the Panama Papers case.

The six-member JIT that probed the Sharif family’s business dealings in its 10-volume report submitted to the Supreme Court on July 10 recommended that a corruption case should be filed against Sharif and his sons Hassan Nawaz , Hussain Nawaz and daughter Maryam Nawaz, under the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) ordinance 1999.

The decision to convene today’s meeting was taken during an “informal meeting” at the prime minister’s house.

All major opposition political parties have asked him to step down and stay away from power until his name was cleared.

With inputs from PTI