Pakistan’s Jamaat-i-Islami Urges Supreme Court to Investigate Panama Papers Scandal

Pakistan’s Jamaat-i-Islami has urged the Supreme Court to investigate the Panama Papers scandal involving 436 Pakistanis, following the court’s handling of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s case. Jamaat-i-Islami’s emir, Sirajul Haq, submitted an 18-page reply to the Supreme Court, requesting the formation of a joint investigation team (JIT) consisting of representatives from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), National Accountability Bureau (NAB), and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). The reply responds to the court’s nine questions posed to Muhammad Ishtiaq Ahmed Raja, a lawyer representing Sirajul Haq. It highlights that while various countries initiated investigations after the Panama Papers emerged, Pakistani institutions failed to take action. The Jamaat-i-Islami argues that the formation of a JIT would not hinder the working of statutory bodies and institutions but instead ensure their collaboration. The party suggests that officers from these institutions should potentially be included in the JIT.