The Pakistan Awami Tehreek party staged a peaceful demonstration outside the Punjab Assembly castigating the involvement of the Sharif family in the Panama papers leak that has spurred global investigations. Authorities across the world are being spurred into action after a huge leak of confidential documents revealed how tax havens are used to hide wealth.
Eleven million documents were leaked from the secretive Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca. They show how the company has helped some clients launder money, dodge sanctions and avoid tax. The company says it has operated beyond reproach for 40 years and has never been charged with criminal wrong-doing. Since the first revelations late on Sunday, a string of investigations have been launched by the French, Austrian, Dutch and Australian authorities, among others. The documents feature 12 current or former heads of state, and at least 60 people linked to current or former world leaders.
The Sharif family and brothers are no exception either as home opposition is growing stronger. And on Wednesday, anti-government-and-Sharif slogan-chanting protesters scaled obstacles which the Punjab government had set up as police attempted to stop them from marching onwards. But party Secretary General, Khurram Nawaz Gandapur and other leaders tried to convince the police that their protest meant to be peaceful. Former member of the Punjab Assembly Fayyaz Warraich too had come from Burewala to join and so did Assembly opposition leader Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed who praised the party workers for staging the demonstration.