Opposition invites Durrani to join protest against Sharif in-laws following Panama Leaks

LAHORE: The opposition has invited Tehmina Durrani, author and wife of Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif to join them in a protest against the Panama Leaks.

In a letter jointly signed by Jamat-e-Islami, Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf, Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Q, Durrani has been appreciated for speaking up against the Sharif family and publicly demanding that their money be brought back to Pakistan.

The letter says that the opposition will need her “moral support” in the protest against the Sharif family. “Your moral support will be vital for the future of the country,” the letter states.

A treasure trove of leaked documents has blown the lid off the faces behind offshore companies operating in multi-layered secrecy. The Panama Papers, which were leaked last week, identify four offshore companies in the ownership of Maryam Nawaz, Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz, the Prime Minister’s children.  Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s relatives Samina Durrani and Ilyas Mehraj have also figured in the documents examined.

Speaking out against the Sharif family, Durrani in a series of tweets, had demanded that the family should return wealth to the nation.

“Only way to clear Sharif name is to keep minimum, simplify life drastically, return all foreign and local wealth to the nation ie Jinnah,” Tehmina Durrani said in a series of tweets.

Dismissing that she owned one such company, Tehmina said, “I am shocked at the news of owning off shore companies. I neither have had any property nor money abroad ever.”

The Punjab CM’s wife also reiterated that national wealth should be returned to the country. “I said two years ago that for democratic survival, leaders have to be upfront and return Pakistan wealth.”

As pressure built up against the Panama Papers, the PM initiated a judicial commission which would investigate 200 Pakistanis named in the leaks.