Nawaz says Daily Mail's apology 'proof of Sharif family’s innocence'

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif stated on Saturday that the apology issued by the British publication Daily Mail was "proof of the Sharif family’s innocence," Aaj News reported.

He was referring to the apology issued by Daily Mail on Thursday to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for an “error” in an article it published on July 4, 2019, in which it had accused the premier of “stealing British foreign aid money”.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Nawaz said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan accused him of corruption and now, "I have been proved innocent by the courts and governments".

“In its clarification, the news publication stated that there was no evidence of the accusations of corruption or money laundering that were placed on us,” he said.

“National Crime Agency has given a clean chit to PM Shehbaz. This is Britain, we do not have PTI or PML-N government here.”

Daily Mail apologises to PM Shehbaz over 'corruption allegations'

Citing that Imran Khan and Shahzad Akbar accused Sharifs of “laundering money, corruption and misuse of office and funds and now, they should hang their heads in shame.”

Nawaz further stated that the Sharif family had to “serve jail time due to bogus cases.”

In a clarification published on its website, the British publication said: “In an article concerning Mr Shahbaz Sharif entitled ‘Did the family of Pakistani politician who has become the poster boy for British overseas aid STEAL funds meant for earthquake victims’ published on 14 July 2019 we reported on an investigation by Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau into Mr Sharif and suggested that the money under investigation included a not insubstantial sum of British public money that had been paid to the Punjab province in DFID grant aid.”

It said that the premier “has never been accused by the National Accountability Bureau of any wrongdoing in relation to British public money or DFID grant aid.”

Following the Daily Mail’s apology, Prime Minister Shehbaz tweeted, “I bow my head in humility before Allah (SWT) for my vindication.”

Taking to Twitter, the premier said, "for three long years, Imran Khan and his “minions” went to any limit to assassinate his character. In their smear campaign, they didn’t bother if their actions brought a bad name to Pakistan and damaged its relations with a friendly country.

“They mocked and ridiculed me and my family through their baseless allegations but I had my unwavering faith in Allah, for only He could expose their brazen lies,” he added.

The prime minister reiterated his belief that disinformation and fake news had limited shelf life and truth being the ultimate victor. “After NCA, the Daily Mail story has proven it,” he remarked.