ISLAMABAD – As around 700 Pakistanis, including cabinet members, are named in hiding financial secrets via offshore companies, two of the government officials claimed that the list of ICIJ’s probe also includes the name of Maryam Nawaz’s son Junaid Safdar.
The alleged disclosure about Safdar irked PML-N leadership. Maryam Nawaz took to microblogging platform saying if the TV channel that ran the news does not apologize right away, she will file a defamation lawsuit in Pakistan and in Britain.
This is not enough. ARY needs to tender an unambiguous apology for running a totally malicious & fabricated news dragging my son or be ready for a strict legal action here and in the UK. pic.twitter.com/X7HAtKFVR1
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) October 3, 2021
Meanwhile, Junaid Safdar also announced to take legal action against the media houses that run the fake news. I don’t own any offshore company and has only one bank account”, he said.
PML-N’s Marriyum Aurangzeb, also slammed the government officials saying they intentionally propagated fake news of Junaid Safdar owning to distract attention from government members who named in the Pandora Papers.
On Sunday, PM’s aide on communication Shahbaz Gill and Info Minister Fawad Chaudhry also shared the shocking revelations on Twitter claiming Junaid Safdar, the son of PML-N leader owns five offshore companies.
کیا ایسے ہو سکتا ہے کسی چوری وغیرہ کی تحقیق ہو اور مریم باجی پیچھے رہ جائیں ؟ کبھی بھی نہیں ! pic.twitter.com/DCqRp866Db
— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) October 3, 2021
Madam! Is it correct that you have multiple offshore companies in your name? Is it also correct that other family members like Ali Dar also have off shore companies? https://t.co/fBu1exgtAE
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) October 3, 2021
Besides sharing the news on official handles, PM’s aide also referred to the state-owned broadcaster that confirmed the name of the former PM’s grandson. Shahbaz Gil also mocked Maryam Nawaz saying it’s not possible for Maryam to be not part of such expose.
Meanwhile, two of the Pakistani journalists who were involved in the Pandora Papers’ investigation, cleared the air saying they have no such information.
Pandora Papers name over 700 Pakistanis who own offshore companies
