PM Shehbaz slams ‘Imran, minions’ after Daily Mail apology

• Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif bows head in humility.
• "Truth is ultimate victor": PM criticises character assassinators.
• UK-based publication takes down defamatory article.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thursday slammed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and his "minions" for running a smear campaign against him as, after more than three years, the Daily Mail publicly apologised for publishing a defamatory article against him.

"I bow my head in humility before Allah (SWT) for my vindication. For [three] long years, Imran [and] his minions went to any limit to assassinate my character," the prime minister said in a tweet hours after the publication published an apology note on its website.

The premier, who was the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly when the article was published, said in their smear campaign, the PTI did not bother if their actions brought a bad name to Pakistan and damaged its relations with a friendly country.

PM Shehbaz said his critics mocked and ridiculed him and his family through their baseless allegations, but "I had my unwavering faith in Allah, for only He could expose their brazen lies".

"Disinformation [and] fake news have limited shelf life [and] truth is the ultimate victor. After NCA, Daily Mail story has proven it," the prime minister tweeted.

Daily Mail's apology and case

The prime minister has received an apology and withdrawal of each and every allegation of corruption from publishers of the Mail newspapers over an article by reporter David Rose that had accused him and his son-in-law, Imran Ali Yousaf, of stealing British taxpayers’ money.

The British publication also removed the article — “Did the family of Pakistani politician who has become the poster boy for British overseas aid STEAL funds meant for earthquake victims, asks David Rose” — written by David Rose from all platforms of Mail publishers.

The United Kingdom-based publication has failed to prove the allegations levelled by its journalist David Rose in an article against premier Shehbaz about the alleged misappropriation of public funds.

Not just that, Daily Mail has promised it will work with Google to remove every link that contained allegations of corruption against the prime minister, based on Daily Mail’s sensational but false article.

The Mail Online, in its clarification statement, mentioned that their article concerning PM Shehbaz titled "Did the family of Pakistani politician who has become the poster boy for British overseas aid STEAL funds meant for earthquake victims" was published on July 14, 2019.

The report was based on an investigation by National Accountability Bureau into PM Shehbaz 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”, the statement said.

“We accept Mr Sharif has never been accused by the 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 Mr Sharif for this error,” the clarification read.