ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Saturday that the country saw a loss of $14 billion in the aftermath of the Panama verdict, while reiterating respect for the verdict.

Criticising political opponents, he said that fanning political instability and doing politics for the sake of it will inevitably result in hampering economic development in the country.



Iqbal said this while talking to media after visiting the ‘Sasta Bazar’ where a huge fire took place on August 23, destroying various shops.

He emphasised that the country needs to unite and move forward beyond “dead issues” like DawnLeaks, inquiry of which has been completed with the consensus of civil and military leadership, he added.



Ensuring provision of relief by the government to the affected shopkeepers, Iqbal said that the incident would have caused even more damage had there not been safe city projects.

He also said that he will request the prime minister to provide help to the affectees.