PM says Imran Khan tried to get him in UK money-laundering case but he got clean chit

• "Imran Khan will be held accountable for his lies," says PM Shehbaz.
• Adds PTI chief spent taxpayers’ money against him to defame Pakistan.
• PM says his acquittal is also a vindication of the people of Pakistan.

LONDON: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that former premier Imran Khan’s government used the state machinery to launch a money-laundering case against him in the United Kingdom through the National Crime Agency (NCA) but gave him a clean chit after investigating him for two years.

Talking to journalists after meeting Scottish First Minister Hamza Yosuaf who called on him for an hour to discuss Pakistan-Scotland relations, PM Shehbaz said the NCA investigated him not only in the UK but also in Dubai, Switzerland and other jurisdictions but “gave me a clean chit with the blessing of Allah”.

The premier said: “The NCA vindicated me. This is also a vindication of the people of Pakistan. Imran Khan govt spent money on this case and did everything against me but failed. Imran Khan spared no effort and spent taxpayers’ money against me to defame Pakistan but failed in the end. Thank God, Pakistan’s respect was not only saved but enhanced as I got a clean chit in the case.”

Berating the PTI chairman, PM Shahbaz said he is a thankless creature who doesn’t spare his benefactors for his personal ego and interests.

He added that Khan’s lies are being exposed before the whole nation and his reality is now evident before everyone. He said that the PTI leader will be held accountable for his lies.

He said that his meeting with the Scottish first minister was held in a cordial atmosphere. “Hamza Yosuaf is a young talent, full of energy and optimism. Pakistan enjoys great relations with Britain and equally great relations with Scotland. There are over 80,000 Pakistanis in Scotland. We have agreed to hold a joint investment conference on how to further increase and strengthen our relations. At the investment conference, we will focus on education, trade, solar, energy and investment. Together we will work in these areas.”

The premier is in the UK to attend the Coronation of King Charles and will be returning to Pakistan on Tuesday.

Under the PTI government, Daily Mail made allegations of money-laundering and corruption against Sharif and the NCA investigated Mr Sharif for two years but Daily Mail’s case against Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif was dealt a heavy blow when Britain’s anti-corruption and anti-crimes super organisation gave a clean chit to Shahbaz Sharif and his son Suleman Shehbaz at the end of September 2021 in a high-profile money-laundering and public office misuse investigation that could have ended the political career of Mr Sharif.

Last year, Daily Mail apologised to Mr Sharif and deleted the defamatory article.

It emerged after the investigation had ended that the UK agency investigated Shahbaz Sharif, his son Suleman Shehbaz and their friend Zulfikar Ahmed in Britain, Switzerland, Italy, St Vincent, America and Dubai to check whether Mr Sharif and his family had any direct or indirect investments or hidden wealth in these jurisdictions.