Pakistan People's Party (PPP) on Monday filed a reference in the Election Commission of Pakistan seeking disqualification of prime minister Nawaz Sharif for "concealing" assets. The reference that PPP Secretary General Sardar Muhammad Latif Khosa filed has also sought disqualification of Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief Minister Punjab's son Hamza Shahbaz and the Prime Minister's son-in-law Captain Safdar (retd).
It claims that the Prime Minister and the members of his family have plundered the country and sent money out of the country through illegal means. The reference also accused them of committing money laundering. The reference further states that the Prime Minister did not meet the criteria of qualification for holding a public office set under Articles 62 and 63 of the constitution.
The reference also accused the Prime Minister and four others of committing tax evasion. Addressing media persons outside the ECP's office on Monday, Latif Khosa said that his party was submitting a 1000-page reference against the Prime Minister and others. He said, "Not only Nawaz Sharif, we also present ourselves before the courts. We have collected income statements from 1985 which should be accounted for. " He said a person who paid a tax of four to five thousand rupees could not be the owner of billions of rupees.
Khosa said, "It is the responsibility of the Election Commission not to let anyone who is dishonest and untrustworthy to remain a member of the parliament." He said that conflicting statements of the Sharif family with regard to the Panama leaks are also mentioned in the reference. He said this time, neither the public nor the PPP will remain silent. Khosa said, "The Sharif family has looted and robbed this country. Whoever's name is mentioned in the Panama leaks should be investigated." He alimed: "At the time of elections 2013, Nawaz Sharif and his family were defaulters of Rs 6.5 billion".
He said that his party would not support any unlawful or illegal step. He said the purpose of the Charter of Democracy (CoD) was not to grant support to the other party to indulge in corruption. It is pertinent to mention that another major opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had earlier filed a reference against the Prime Minister at Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The Election Commission told PTI that their reference will be heard after filling of the vacant seats of the ECP members. The ECP has become practically non-functional after its all four members retired on June 10 this year.