LAHORE - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said the matter of inquiry into Panama leaks has been entrusted to the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) and if he amends the terms of reference, the government will accept it.

Talking to senior journalists at the Governor’s House, he said the government had already sent a letter to the CJP for the formation of a judicial commission and now it was for him to decide whether he would like to head the commission himself or give the task to some other senior judge.

He said he had submitted himself as well as his family to the Supreme Court for accountability. The apex court is free to investigate the Panama leaks issue the way it likes. “We’ll offer full cooperation.”

The prime minister said this a day before the PTI is scheduled to hold a protest rally in Lahore to mount pressure on the government to change the terms of reference (ToRs) of the proposed commission to the satisfaction of the opposition parties. A number of opposition parties are meeting in Islamabad on Monday to discuss the situation and decide their future course of action.

Also on Monday, CJP Anwar Zaheer Jamali will be resuming his official duties and is expected to take a decision on the government letter for formation of commission.

Answering a question about opposition parties protest plans, the prime minister said results of movements for change of government in the past had never been in country’s interest. This method of regime change should end now, he said.

To another question, Nawaz said Imran Khan doesn’t know about politics. “Those planning protests are not working against me. They are working against the country,” he averred. He said he and his family have been facing accountability since long and this time too they were being brought to the docks. “Neither had I bowed down in the past nor will I do it now.”

Nawaz said Pervez Musharraf held their family accountable for nine years but failed to get anything against them and this time too “we will come out clear”.

The media men put questions to PM and when one asked him whether civil and the military leadership was on the same page on Panama inquiry and other issues. He replied, the two were enjoying relations, better than in the past, and that should persist. However he said certain people do not want him in Islamabad.

To a question about the PML-N position against the Opposition pressure, he said the 2018 elections will show everyone who is how much strong.

Earlier, the prime minister chaired a meeting held at the Governor’s House to review the development projects and the public welfare schemes. Addressing the meeting he said the masses have rejected the troublemakers and those who do negative politics. “The time is over when negative politics worked. The masses have many times in the past discarded those who tried to create anarchy and they will do it again.”

Punjab Governor Rafiq Rajwana, Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, federal and provincial ministers and PML-N legislators attended the meeting.

Nawaz the meeting that from onward he would personally monitor the public welfare schemes and projects and ensure problems of the people are solved at their doorsteps.

As part of PML-N’s policy of public appeasement in the wake of political storm caused by Panama Papers, Nawaz Sharif just a day ago had restrained enforcement of increase in petroleum prices and also ordered for cutting down market price of pulses in the country.

Nawaz said the path of public service was in fact the true path which he and his colleagues would follow. He assured that all development projects would complete in 2018, when the people would go polls.

“The projects started on the side of energy, gas, infrastructure and others would surely complete in 2018”, he said, adding that implementing the party manifesto and honouring commitment to the made to the masses the nation would be totally rid of the loadshedding by the year 2018. He said those who want to impede progress, development and prosperity were the enemies of the nation and the country.

Nawaz said the people would be provided basic facilities at their doorstep as it means true service to them. The people discarded negative politics in the past and they would not allow creation of any further anarchy this time too, he said alluding to opposition parties which closing their ranks on the Panama leaks against the prime minister and his family.

The prime minister said the government would provide the facilities of education, health and potable water to the people whose prosperity and a bright Pakistan would come out victorious in the long run. The prime minister also directed the provincial government to positively complete next and final phase of the local government in May and ensure devolvement of power at the grassroots level.