IT is a cruel joke that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced a commission, headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, to probe whether it is wrong to invest in offshore companies that hide the identity of owners, sources of funds and evade income taxes.

The questions that arise are: is it morally right for a prime minister`s sons and daughterto dobusinessby usingoffshore companies? Did the prime minister declare these companies in his wealth statement submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan and the tax authority, with his tax returns? Do honest political leaders allow their family members to do shady business? To have a transparent investigation, the prime minister must resign. Only credible army intelligence, which is under no political influence, should prove that the prime minister is honest and living within his means, has never received any kickbacks and money from bankers for election campaigns and also that the Asghar Khan case was fabricated.

Tassadaq Hussain Lahore (2) I OFTEN think of saving some money from my salary and to invest this savings somewhere to get a better return so that after some years I should be able able to start a business, a boutique or a coffee shop.

But, honestly speaking, I don`t see it happening any time soon.

However, the Panama leaks gave me a splendidideato start a business of democracy. Why worl< nine to seven in the office, get bullied by seniors, get stuck during rush hour while commuting to work and home.

Why not spend some money to get a party ticket, spend some more for an election campaign and spend the rest of life with VIP protocols, banks full of bucks, roads empty for me to pass, uniformed men to salute me, courts to obey me, islands to have my companies set there and the media to follow me. Can somebody inform the innocent Nawaz Hussain that all offshore companies are established by those who want their identities hidden, their money trails not to be known or who want to avoid paying taxes. It is a clear-cut moneylaundering case. But one asks: from where has all this money come from? Through hard worl< only? SyraFareen Islamabad (3) EVEN if it is proved that members of the prime minister`s family have done nothing wrong nor violated any rule, and all that they have done is simply use their right to avoidpaying taxes, I have three observations: 1. By investing in other countries they have deprived Pakistan of possible investment. we are always trying to attract foreign investors, whereas our rulers are depriving investment-starved Pakistan.

2. They have deprived our youth of possible employment. Their investment in their own country could have provided a means of living to hundreds of Pakistanis.

3. They have deprived the exchequer of possible taxes that could have been generated from these investments. This could have also helped in increasing the tax net.

I see the above as serious indiscretions whose perpetrators must be taken to task.

M. Vaqaruddin Karachi