Marriyum fires broadside at PTI leaders on Daily Mail’s apology

Information minister says ex-PM Imran, his aide Akbar hurled allegations at Sharif family

ISLAMABAD:

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Thursday said the apology tendered by the Daily Mail to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on publishing a false story was a “slap on the face of opponents”.

“No corruption has been proven against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif who is vindicated by Almighty Allah,” she said in a statement.

She said it was not only PM Shehbaz Shairf but the entire nation which stood vindicated today, adding that it was Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan and his aide Shahzad Akbar who hurled allegations at the Sharif family.

It was Imran Khan who provided the reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau to the Daily Mail for publishing a false story against the prime minister.

She said Imran invited David Rose, who published that article in the British publication, to Pakistan for hatching a conspiracy against PM Shehbaz Sharif.

Rose appeared in the talk shows on the behest of Imran.

Marriyum said ironically, they hurled allegations of corruption at the person (Shehbaz Sharif) who shed his sweat and blood for the development of Punjab.

She said the Daily Mail had failed to produce a single evidence in the court to prove its allegations against PM Shehbaz.

The Daily Mail tendered an unconditional apology after the trial of the case was completed.

The minister lashed out at Imran and Akbar for defaming the opponents to satisfy their egos.

She said it was Imran and Akbar who should apologise to Prime Minister Shehabaz and the nation. Marriyum thanked the Almighty over exoneration of all the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders in the false corruption cases filed by the PTI government. She said Imran had spread political instability in the country after coming to the power in 2018.