Senior Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Andleeb Abbas has sought answers from the Prime Minister's Office to five questions about what she says is the "misuse of authority and the abuse of taxpayer's money" by Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
In a letter addressed to the principal secretary of the Prime Minister's Secretariat, Abbas on Friday asked for certified information regarding what she says is Maryam's "misuse of the Prime Minister's Office".
The PTI leader also called out Maryam for allegedly making "Pakistan a laughing stock in the international community by declaring Panama [Papers] Leaks 'trash'".
She asked the PM Office to respond to the following five questions within 21 days under Article 19-A of the Constitution and the Freedom of Information Ordinance, 2002.
'Why is Maryam commenting on national security issues?'
"In what capacity is Maryam Nawaz, who is not an elected representative, giving official stances on national security issues," Abbas asked in her letter.
She pointed out that Maryam's clarification terming PM's meeting with Indian business tycoon Sajjan Jindal as a 'personal/friendly meeting' had been denied by Indian journalist Jyoti Malhotra, "who explained that Jindal had come with Modi's message regarding Kulbhushan Jadav".
She asked why the information ministry has not taken any action over "this embarrassment".
'Why does Maryam run the strategic media cell'?
Andleeb Abbas also inquired from the PM Office why Maryam is running the government's Strategic Media Communication Cell.
'Why does the strategic media cell function on taxpayer's money'?
The PTI leader further asked why public funds are allegedly being used to run the Strategic Media Communication Cell.
"The government has allocated [a] record Rs8.3 billion for the Information Ministry for 2016-17," she pointed out.
She asked why the 90 employees of the cell were using the public-funded PM Office and other government departments.
"Why are these people being paid from taxpayer's money, as its budget is corning from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting?" she alleged.
'How does Maryam meet foreign dignitaries'?
Abbas also questioned why Maryam is allowed to arrange meetings with foreign ambassadors and dignitaries at the PM House.
"In what capacity does Maryam Nawaz meet foreign ... dignitaries when she does not hold any official position?"
Abbas termed this a "misuse of taxpayer's money".
'Why has Maryam made Pakistan a laughing stock'?
The PTI leader also said Maryam had caused embarrassment to Pakistan by declaring the Panama Papers 'trash' on Twitter.
"Why has Maryam Nawaz made Pakistan a laughing stock in the international community by declaring Panama [Papers] Leaks 'trash'?" she asked.
Maryam's statements are tantamount to a misdeclaration and a contempt of court as the "Supreme Court is spending its best resource and time on the Panama [Papers] Leaks case", Abbas further said.
