Panama probe: Pak PM Nawaz Sharif rejects demands to step down

Addressing an emergency Cabinet meeting here, 67-year-old Sharif termed the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report a pack of "allegations and speculation", Dawn reported.

The six-member JIT, probing Sharif family's offshore assets and alleged corruption, in a 10-volume damning report submitted to the Supreme Court on July 10 recommended that a corruption case should be filed against Sharif and his sons - Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz - as well as daughter Maryam.

At the first Cabinet meeting after the submission of the JIT report to the apex court, Sharif said that he will not resign as the prime minister on anyone's call.

"The people of Pakistan have elected me and only they can remove me from this post," Prime Minister Sharif said, responding to the opposition parties who have been demanding his resignation following the release of the report. Sharif claimed that his family "earned nothing after entering politics, but lost a lot".

The language used in the JIT report displays malafide intentions, he said.

"The Prime Minister said that he will not resign on the demand of a group of conspirators," Radio Pakistan reported.

"Those demanding my resignation on false and unwarranted claims should first look at themselves," Sharif said.

According to official sources, Sharif consulted his cabinet colleagues about his future plan after demands by opposition to resign.

The Cabinet members reposed full confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Sharif and endorsed his decision not to step down. They suggested that Sharif fight the legal battle to vindicate himself in the Panama Papers case.

Sharif also discussed the strategy how to contest the JIT in the court which starts the hearing from Monday.

The decision to convene today's meeting was taken during an "informal meeting" at the prime minister's house.

All major opposition political parties have asked Sharif to step down and stay away from power until his name was cleared.