Sunday, Pandora Papers revealed the financial secrets of global leaders, including several PTI ministers as well as Opposition members. As the news began circulating, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz’s son Junaid Safdar was also accused of being named in the Pandora Papers.
As per media reports, Junaid Safdar has 5 offshore companies.
The news took social media by storm. People, including Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, began slamming the Sharif family of being involved in endless corruption.
علی ڈار جو نواز شریف کے داماد ہیں کے نام آف شور کمپنی کے بعد اب نئ اطلاعات یہ ہیں کہ مریم نوز کے بیٹے جنید صفدر کے نام پر بھی پانچ آف شور کمپنیاں ہیں ، اس خاندان کو کتنا پیسہ چاہئے؟
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) October 3, 2021
However, interestingly, the Pandora Papers did not name Junaid Safdar at all. The reports of him owning five offshore companies were false.
In this regard, Umar Cheema and Fakhar Durrani, the two journalists who participated in the Pandora Papers investigation from Pakistan, debunked the reports.
During an interview, the two journalists, clearly stated that they did not find Junaid Safdar’s name in the Pandora Papers.
Read more: Why is Maryam Nawaz’s son running elections from Rahim Yar Khan?
سرکاری چینل اور اے آر وائی کو جھوٹی خبر چلاتے ہوئے شرم آنی چاہیے ۔۔۔
جنید صفدر کا پنڈورا پیپرز میں نام شامل نہیں pic.twitter.com/fERrLKoFVX— Zeeshan Malik (@ZeshanMalick) October 3, 2021
To further clarify, Fakhar Durrani explained that in such situations, journalists always check for the names of the elite political parties, which include the Sharif family.
“We checked the names of each member of the Sharif family,” Durrani said.
Moreover, Umar Cheema and Fakhar Durrani clarified that if Junaid Safdar was named, then they would have revealed his name along with Ali Dar, PML-N leader Ishaq Dar’s son.
Read more: BBC Anchor leaves Ishaq Dar speechless on questions of property & his Illness
Maryam Nawaz vows to sue media over fake reports
When the news of Pandora Papers naming Junaid Safdar initially broke, PML-N claimed that the news is fake.
In response, Junaid Safdar issued a statement saying that he would take legal action against the media outlets that ran the news. He clarified that he did not own any offshore company as he is a student with only one bank account.
Moreover, Maryam Nawaz, took to Twitter to lambast the media houses responsible for breaking the news about Junaid Safdar.
The PML-N Vice President, in a series of tweets, vowed that she will sue the media houses spreading fake news. She revealed that she is in talks with her legal team over the matter.
No one will be spared. Boht ho gaya. https://t.co/7DXq5BCVlm
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) October 3, 2021
Furthermore, she accused the government of deliberately spreading the false news to divert attention from PTI members named in the Pandora Papers.
The exposé named Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, Senator Faisal Vawda, PML-Q leader Chaudhry Moonis Elahi, Ishaq Dar’s son, PPP’s Sharjeel Memon, the family of Minister for Industries and Production Khusro Bakhtiar, PTI leader Abdul Aleem Khan, Axact CEO Shoaib Sheikh, among those with alleged links to offshore companies.
One of the media houses took back its statements. However, Maryam Nawaz wants an “unambiguous apology for running a totally malicious & fabricated news” against her son.
Read more: PTI & PML-N grapple over Shahbaz Sharif’s “acquittal”