News Desk |
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif announced on Thursday that he was ready to accept any punishment if the accusations leveled against him in a news report accusing him of embezzling millions of pounds from the aid provided for earthquake victims.
While referring to the news report, the PML-N leader said that the earthquake happened in 2005 and he assumed office of Punjab chief minister in 2008. Shehbaz added that he will accept any punishment if the accusations against him are proven to be true.
On July 14, the Mail on Sunday published a story which accused the former Punjab chief minister and his family of allegedly embezzling money from aid given by Britain’s Department for International Development (DFID) and laundering it in the United Kingdom.
Akbar has challenged Shehbaz to file a lawsuit against Daily Mail for its investigative report allegedly revealing that he and his family were involved in money-laundering in Britain.
In the report, the paper claimed that the DFID poured more than £500 millions of UK taxpayers’ money into Punjab in the form of aid during Shehbaz’s tenure as chief minister.
“Yet, say investigators, all the time that DFID was heaping him and his government with praise and taxpayers’ cash, Shahbaz and his family were embezzling tens of millions of pounds of public money and laundering it in Britain,” writes reporter David Rose. “They are convinced that some of the allegedly stolen money came from DFID-funded aid projects.”
The report says Shehbaz’s son Suleman has denied the allegations against him and his family, “saying they were the product of a ‘political witch-hunt’ ordered by Pakistan’s new prime minister, the former cricketer Imran Khan.”
Akbar Exposes Sharifs’ Corruption, Dares Shehbaz to File Lawsuit
Recently, the Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar exposed alleged corruption of Sharif family by presenting documentary evidence of the funds transfer from the ERRA to Shehbaz’s son-in-law, Ali Imran.
Read more: Shahbaz Sharif implicated in five more cases: Murad Saeed
While presenting the bank drafts and receipts of TTs to the press, the special assistant said that the transactions were a piece of evidence against the PML-N leader. “Hamza’s 95 percent assets and Suleiman’s 99 percent assets were made from the said funds,” he said.
Also, Akbar has challenged Shehbaz to file a lawsuit against Daily Mail for its investigative report allegedly revealing that he and his family were involved in money-laundering in Britain.
Akbar said that Shehbaz’s claims to file a lawsuit against the British paper was similar to his earlier claim of dragging Asif Ali Zardari on the roads. In case the PML-N leader files a case, Akbar said, he will present proofs of money laundering before the British courts.
This fact was admitted by Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) Official Ikram Naveed in his affidavit submitted to NAB in a plea bargain.
In the press conference, Akbar said that over $26 million came into Pakistan through money laundering, adding that between 2007-08 the Shehbaz family received massive funds. “The people who were sent money from abroad in the name of Shehbaz family are so poor that they can’t even travel from Karachi to Lahore,” he said.
Confess & Seek Forgiveness for Corruption, Firdous Tells Shehbaz
Meanwhile, PM Khan’s Special Assistant to Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan admonished Shehbaz Sharif and his family while advising them to make a confession and seek forgiveness for corruption.
In a series of tweets, PM’s special assistant discussed the claims made by Daily Mail on July 14 of aid money being embezzled and laundered by Shehbaz Sharif and his family.
Read more: NAB determined to Freeze Shehbaz Sharif’s Assets
“An official cheque of Rs80 million given in aid for earthquake affected people was deposited in the bank account of former Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s son-in-law Ali Imran. This fact was admitted by Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) Official Ikram Naveed in his affidavit submitted to NAB in a plea bargain,” Awan stated.
زلزلہ متاثرین کےلئے آنے والی امداد کا آٹھ کروڑ روپے کا سرکاری چیک براہ راست شہباز شریف کے داماد علی عمران کے ذاتی اکاؤنٹ میں جمع ہوا۔جرم کی اس حقیقت کا اعتراف ایرا کےافسر اکرام نوید نے نیب سے پلی بارگین کرتے ہوئے اپنے بیان حلفی کی صورت میں کیا۔
— Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan (@Dr_FirdousAwan) July 15, 2019
She continued: “the spokespersons of PML-N are telling lies. How long will these spokespersons continue defending theft, corruption, and money-laundering? The list of black money and TTs [telegraphic transfers] by Shehbaz Sharif and his sons are so long that the spokespersons will soon get tired of defending it.”
جھوٹ کے پاؤں نہیں ہوتے۔لیگی ترجمان جھوٹ کو تحفظ دینے کے لیے جھوٹ پر جھوٹ بول رہے ہیں۔نوکری کی زنجیر میں جکڑے ترجمان کب تک چوری،کرپشن،اور منی لانڈرنگ کا دفاع کریں گے؟شہباز اینڈ سنز کے کالے دھن اور ٹی ٹیز کی فہرست اتنی طویل ہے کہ دفاع کرتے کرتے جلد ترجمانوں کے ہاتھ کھڑے ہوجائیں گے
— Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan (@Dr_FirdousAwan) July 15, 2019
Moreover, she said: “If Shehbaz, sons, and son-in-law are honest, then why did they flee from the country?”
اگر شہباز اینڈ سنز بشمول داماد سچے ہیں تو ملک سے کیوں بھاگے؟ایرا کے افسر کے اعتراف کے بعد بہتر یہی ہے کہ شہباز شریف کا خاندان بھی اقبال جرم کرکے کرپشن سے توبہ کر لے۔توبہ کے دروازے ہمیشہ کھلے رہتے ہیں۔
— Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan (@Dr_FirdousAwan) July 15, 2019
“After the confession of ERR official, it is better that Shehbaz’s family makes a confession, and seek forgiveness for their corruption as the doors of repentance are always open,” she stressed.