Islamabad, April 5 (IANS): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan has demanded that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) initiate a thorough probe into the financial holdings of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members after the "Panama Papers" leak.

A massive leak of documents from a Panamanian law firm revealed that Sharif family "owned or had the right to authorise transactions for several offshore companies", Dawn online reported.

"Probes have already been initiated in several countries -- including Australia, New Zealand, Sweden and France -- across the globe after their leaders and office bearers were implicated," said Imran.

"If NAB wants to maintain its credibility, it should immediately begin a probe into Sharif's family."

Imran said: "Sharif should explain how his children made all this money." He asked if Sharif's family have "paid tax on this income".

Imran said the data leak was a defining moment for Pakistan, and added: "How can those who launder money from Pakistan to offshore accounts ask others to invest in the country?"

He said that Maryam Nawaz had given a statement two years ago that her family did not have any asseta abroad.

"But now Hussain Nawaz accepts that Maryam owns two offshore companies," Imran said.

Documents published by an international coalition of more than 100 media outlets, based on 11.5 million records of offshore holdings, details how politicians, celebrities and other famous people use banks, law firms and offshore shell companies to hide their assets.

According to documents available on the ICIJ website, Mariam, Hasan and Hussain "were owners or had the right to authorise transactions for several companies".