On the basis of Panama Papers, the Prime Minister of which of the following countries was sentenced to 10 years in jail for corruption?

The answer is C, Pakistan. The Panama Papers leak (2016, from the Mossack Fonseca law firm, reported by the ICIJ) exposed offshore holdings of the Sharif family in London flats, which led to the Supreme Court of Pakistan disqualifying Nawaz Sharif in July 2017. In July 2018, an Accountability Court in Islamabad sentenced him to 10 years in the Avenfield reference for corruption. He was a former PM at that point, which the question glosses over. The sentence was later suspended on appeal.

Why the others are wrong:

• Maldives: Former President Yameen Abdul Gayoom was jailed in 2019 for money laundering linked to his own office, not a sitting or former PM sentenced on Panama evidence.
• Trinidad: Trinidad and Tobago has no PM sentenced under Panama Papers findings.
• D: Not valid, since option C is correct.

The core concept is offshore shell companies and beneficial ownership, which links to the Black Money Act 2015 in India, the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, and FATF standards. For Mains, it is a good case for discussing transparency and accountability of public servants.

Trap: Aspirants often assume Panama Papers led to jail in most countries. Iceland's PM resigned in 2016 without any conviction, and Pakistan's case began with disqualification before the sentence came later.