ISLAMABAD: Former Senate chairman and PPP leader Syed Nayyar Bukhari on Wednesday filed an application with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) seeking attested copies of nomination papers and assets` declarations submitted by the prime minister and his family mem-bers in politics from 1993 to 2013.

The others whose attested documents have been sought under the right to information act include Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shahbaz, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar the father-inlaw of Nawaz Sharif`s daughter Asma Nawaz and retired Capt Mohammad Safdar, Mr Sharif`s son-in-law.

Filed through his counsel Sardar Latif Khosa, Mr Bukhari`s application alleged that these individuals concealed their assets and lied to state institutions as well as the people of Pakistan. It reads: `Following the revelations made in the Panama Papers, the lies and misstatements by the above mentioned individuals have come to the fore.

It states that contradictory statements made by Mr Sharif and his close relatives have exposed lies.`Since the close relatives of the prime minister have confirmed the ownership of the assets disclosed in the Panama papers, they are liable to be tried under the law for their criminal offences, money laundering [under the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2010], smuggling money from Pakistan [offences falling under the Customs Act 1969].

Mr Bukhari said he needed attested copies of the aforementioned documents, so a case could be bled in the relevant legal forum for further necessary action against these individuals.

The application has been filed two days after former chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry`s application for nomination papers and statements of assets of Mr Sharif from 1993 to 2016 and his counsel Sheilch Ahsanud Din`s announcementthat a petition seeking the disqualification of the prime minister on the grounds of concealment of assets would be filed after obtaining attested copies of the relevant documents.

Nawabzada Salahuddin Saeed, PTI`s candidate from NA-21 (Mansehra) in the 2013 elections who lost the Mr Safdar, has already filed a petition with the ECP seeking the disqualification of the prime minister`s son in law on the grounds of concealment of assets.

He asked the ECP to declare the elections null and void and order fresh polling in the constituency.

According to the Panama Papers leaks, Mr Sharif`s daughter Maryam Safdar and his sons Hussain and Hassan Nawaz are linlced to nine offshore companies, while two relatives of the Punjab chief minister are linlced to seven companies.