Sharif to address nation amid Panama Paper leaks

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will address the nation on Friday evening, his second since the Panama Papers revelations have surfaced, to take the nation into confidence over 'important national issues'.

The Dawn reported that the Prime Minister is expected to announce the setting up of a commission to probe the allegations on his children in the aftermath of the Panama data leaks.

The sources added that Prime Minister Sharif may announce the writing of a letter to the Chief Justice of Pakistan, in which the government will request him to nominate a serving Supreme Court judge to head the commission.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister expressed a desire to 'settle this issue once and for all', according to an aide who attended the meeting, reported Dawn.

Sharif in an effort to calm the storm whipped up by the Panama Papers had announced that a judicial commission would investigate the offshore companies owned by members of his family.

A sombre-sounding Prime Minister said he had taken the decision because "fingers are being pointed at the business concerns of my sons".

According to available documents , the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's children Maryam, Hasan and Hussain "were owners or had the right to authorise transactions for several companies".