A plea has been filed in Pakistan's top court seeking direction for the federal law enforcement agency to launch an inquiry and determine if those named in the Pandora Papers and the Panama Papers had committed or indulged in any malpractice.   A petition has sought a direction for the Pakistani citizens named in the Panama Papers and the Pandora Papers to clear themselves by assuring the country's Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) that the investment made in the offshore firms were legitimate, Dawn newspaper reported.   The Pakistani publication stated that the petition has urged the country's Supreme Court to order the FBR to direct such individuals to furnish an explanation with supporting documentary evidence.   The foreign assets of those Pakistani citizens who could not justify such transactions should be frozen by the FBR within three months, as per the petition.   In addition, the plea calls for initiating legal proceedings to recover assets under the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative as suggested in the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), which was ratified by Pakistan in August 2007.   Earlier this month, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) revealed a trove of private financial records of 700 Pakistanis, including cabinet members of Imran Khan's government in 'Pandora Papers'.   The ICIJ stated that key members of Prime Minister Imran Khan's inner circle, including cabinet ministers, their families and major financial backers have secretly owned an array of companies and trusts holding millions of dollars of hidden wealth.   The ICIJ said that military leaders have also been implicated. The tension between the political parties escalated since the announcement was made that the details about leaked papers would be shared.   Source: ANI

England’s young and free-flowing team banished the ghost of past national failures with a record 6-1 thrashing of a feeble Panama on Sunday that included a hat-trick by Harry Kane and eased them into the last 16. England’s biggest-ever World Cup win, which included two penalties by Kane then a deflection off his heel, also guaranteed Belgium’s berth in the next round. England and Belgium have identical records ahead of their meeting next week to decide who tops the group. It left the shell-shocked Central Americans out of their debut tournament with nine goals conceded in Group G. Tunisia were also eliminated. Playing from the off with an ease and trickery that contrasted with the stressed-looking England flops of recent international tournaments, Gareth Southgate’s team romped into a remarkable 5-0 lead at half-time. Defender Jon Stones headed England in front in the eighth minute from a corner, losing his marker to angle home a header, before captain Kane made it 2-0 in the 22nd minute with a penalty after Jesse Lingard was pushed over in the box by Fidel Escobar. Lingard made it 3-0 in the 36th minute with a beautiful strike from just outside the area before Stones nodded in his second and England’s fourth after a cleverly worked free-kick routine. Kane scored another penalty just before halftime. The Tottenham striker bagged his third after a 61st minute shot by Ruben Loftus-Cheek hit his foot and bounced over Panama goalkeeper Jaime Penedo. Current World Cup top scorer on five goals after two games, Kane was then substituted for Jaime Vardy up front, to a standing ovation from the nearly 2,500 England fans at Nizhny Novgorod. He has scored all five of his shots on target. Kane became the third England player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup game following Geoff Hurst in the 1966 final and Gary Lineker against Poland in the 1986 tournament. Panama’s equal-sized army of red-shirted fans continued to dance and cheer on the ‘Canaleros’ (Canalmen) to the end. Substitute Felipe Baloy rewarded them with a consolation goal in the 78th minute, sliding home a free kick that was Panama’s first goal in their debut World Cup. But in truth, it was a humbling experience for Panama against a side known to get nervous and slip up against less illustrious rivals on the big stage. For England fans, the pain of losing to Iceland in the 2016 European Championships and a first-round exit without a win at the 2014 World Cup, was finally slipping away. Southgate’s task now will be to keep his young charges’ feet on the ground, and guard against complacency whomever they face next from Group H’s quartet of Japan, Senegal, Poland and Colombia. Source: Reuters AH