The deadlock between opposition and government is still persists, as meeting of the 12-member parliamentary committee working on framing terms of reference for holding probe into Panama leaks ended on Tuesday without a breakthrough. At the outset of the meeting, both opposition and government members offered prayers for the speedy recovery of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who underwent an open heart surgery in London.
After that suggestions were considered by both government and opposition members to end the deadlock but neither opposition nor the government members were ready to budge from their stances with opposition insisting that 'its 15 questions are final'. This tough stance from the sides led to adjournment till Saturday, during which, the sources said both sides will consult the leadership of their respective parties, as there is a possibility that the talks may end up in smoke.
"The government team is not ready to show any flexibility which reflects that it [government] is not serious about finding a solution to the problem...if this attitude remains, the decision may be taken in the streets," said a member of the committee who wished not to be named.
After the meeting, Senator Aitzaz Ahsan of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) who is the member of the committee, told reporters: "the stance of opposition is crystal clear: we want accountability process to be started from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family because his children are holding offshore companies." He continued that the government was bent upon abolishing the name of the prime minister from ToRs which was not possible as they were answerable to the people, adding, "If you've formed the committee to save the prime minister, it's of no use".
"The demand of opposition is quite clear and relevant, but the government members simply don't bother what we're saying as their sole purpose is that there should be no probe against the prime minister under the pretext that his name was mentioned in the Panama Leaks," he added. Another member of the 12-member committee from opposition side, Shah Mahmood Qureshi had nothing new to say except what Aitzaz narrated. He said that the behaviour of the government was not positive to end the deadlock.
He warned that if this remained the attitude of the government in accepting the demands of the opposition, it would be left with no option but to stage protest. "The government must show flexibility if it's serious about resolution of the issue and framing a joint ToRs," he added. A statement issued by the government said that on the request of the government, the parliamentary committee adjourned the meeting due to open-heart surgery of the prime minister in UK.
The committee expressed their good wishes for the successful surgery and speedy recovery of the premier, it said, adding the opposition registered its protest on the statement of one of the members of the government Team's criticism in harsh language of an opposition leader as this has the tendency of vitiating the atmosphere in the Committee. The government side responded that nothing has been said by the member regarding proceedings of the committee. He had merely responded to the extremely virulent criticism of the government leadership by the said opposition leader to which he had strongly protested.
The government side proposed that the members of the committee should advise their party leaders to avoid commenting on the issues before the committee as this would also vitiate the atmosphere in the committee. Ishaq Dar, Aitzaz Ahsan, Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo, Muhammad Ali Saif, Zahid Hamid, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Akram Khan Durrrani, Anusha Rehman, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Sahibzada Tariq Ullah and Chaudhary Tariq Bashir Cheema attended the meeting. The next meeting will be held on Saturday June 4 at 4pm.