On publishing the story related to the alleged money laundering by former Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, the British Newspaper and the involved journalist David Rose, have been sent a legal notice by Sharif.
The notice was moved by London-based legal firm Carter-Ruck Solicitors, for publishing a controversial defaming story. The news was shared via press release which stated that “The article is gravely defamatory of Mr. Sharif, including false allegations that he misappropriated UK taxpayers’ money in the form of DFID aid intended for the victims of the devastating 2005 earthquake in Pakistan,”. The statement added that “I am utterly appalled by these allegations. It is disgusting for the Mail to claim that I stole money from a fund for earthquake victims. Clearly was there any evidence in support of this or any other allegations contained in the article against me, then I would have been arrested and charged,”
The legal notice added that the story seems to have a politically motivated background against the Sharif family.
David Rose commented on the news via tweet that, “I’m only going to make one comment on Shahbaz Sharif’s recent statements. He complains the earthquake was in 2005 before he became CM. But according to evidence already aired in a Pakistani court, the alleged thefts from the quake relief fund were in 2009 and 2011. Refutation?”
Shehbaz Sharif was accused in the article for embezzling millions of pounds granted by the DFID (Department for International Development) for victims of the earthquake. PML-N had also blamed SAPM on Accountability Shehzad Akber, for plotting the said story against the Sharif family, to which he challenged to sue him as well in London. “You must sue me and sue me in a London court, and in that court, I will produce evidence of every TT telegraphic transfer made by you, how kickbacks were sent from here, how money was transferred through hundi and hawala,”, he said.
