LONDON: British publication Daily Mail has apologised to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for publishing an article that accused him of embezzling British foreign aid money meant for earthquake victims.

According to details, said article written by investigative journalist David Rose has now been removed from all platforms of Mail publishers. However, it is pertinent to mention here that Daily Mail did not apologise for allegations of money laundering and TT scandal against PM Shehbaz Sharif. In clarification posted on its website, Daily Mail mentioned that their article concerning PM Shehbaz titled “Did family of Pakistani politician who has become poster boy for British overseas aid STEAL funds meant for earthquake victims” was published on July 14, 2019. Report was based on an investigation by National Accountability Bureau into PM Shehbaz and suggested that money under “Investigation included not insubstantial sum of British public money that had been paid to Punjab province in DFID grant aid”, statement said.

It said that premier has never been accused by National Accountability Bureau of any wrongdoing in relation to British public money or DFID grant aid. “We are pleased to make this clear and apologise to Sharif for this error,” Daily Mail added. Article claimed that PM Shehbaz Sharif had embezzled funds provided by UK’s Department for International Development for rehabilitation of 2005 earthquake while he was Chief Minister of Punjab.

The agreement refers to the trial of preliminary meaning on February 5, 2021, at the UK court which was clearly won by PM Shehbaz when Justice Nicklin found that the words used in the Mail article were of the highest level of defamation and that the newspaper must bring evidence to prove every allegation. Justice Nicklin had found that that Mail article alleged that “Sharif was party to and the principal beneficiary of the money laundering of tens of millions of pounds which represented the proceeds of his embezzlement, whilst he was the Chief Minister of Punjab, of substantial sums of public money, including a not insubstantial sum of British public money that had been paid to the province in DFID grant aid and other corrupt payments received in the form of kickbacks or commission from government-run projects.”

The Daily Mail’s withdrawal of the article, removal of allegations, and apology to PM Shehbaz is an admission of withdrawal of everything in line with the findings of Justice Nicklin, as the judge found the ordinary meaning to be Chase Level-1 defamation category.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 09 2022

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