PM dismisses demands to step down

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif while chairing the meeting of the federal cabinet on Thursday, declared his decision of not resigning as the premier regardless of the vehement demands made by the opposition leaders in wake of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report.

Announcing the decision made by all cabinet members, Sharif announced that he will not resign as the prime minister on anyone's call and will fight the battle to vindicate himself in the Panama Papers case, according to Dawn News.

Terming the JIT report a pack of allegations and speculations, Sharif said, "The people of Pakistan have elected me and only they can remove me from this post."

Challenging the opposition parties who have been demanding his resignation following release of the JIT report, the prime minister said that the PML-N had bagged more votes than those of the opposition parties combined and they can’t bring forth proof of "corruption of a single paisa" against his family.

The prime minister’s daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif had on Wednesday expressed the party's resolve that Sharif will not step down.

“Insh’Allah he won’t resign. Should Nawaz Sharif resign because not a single allegation of misuse of public money has been proven against him?” she said.