Daily Mail apology to Shehbaz Sharif: Out-of-court settlement likely between parties
An out-of-court settlement is likely between the parties after the UK publication Daily Mail apologised to PM Shehbaz Sharif over the article.
An out-of-court settlement is likely between the parties after the UK publication Daily Mail apologised to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over the article specifically regarding the embezzlement of funds of the Department for International Development (DFID) for earthquake victims in 2019.
However, it did not take back his allegations against Sharif’s son-in-law Ali Imran Yousaf.
In its clarification note, Daily Mail wrote on Thursday, “In an article concerning Mr Shahbaz Sharif entitled ‘Did the family of Pakistani politician who has become the poster boy for British overseas aid STEAL funds meant for earthquake victims’ published on 14 July 2019 we reported on an investigation by Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau into Mr Sharif 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. 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.”
UK court rejects Shehbaz Sharif’s plea in defamation case against Daily Mail, issues ‘unless order’
The journalist and vlogger Irfan Hashmi from Britain gave a briefing on the developments and said that the UK publication did not wholly withdraw his allegations against the Sharif family, except for accepting that there is no NAB case against Shehbaz Sharif regarding the embezzlement of funds for earthquake victims in 2019.
Hashmi added that neither Shehbaz Sharif nor his son-in-law Ali Imran Yousaf submitted their responses to the British court so far.
Real reporting from London UK
pic.twitter.com/pY0Y8druwp— Imran Khan (@ImranRiazKhan) December 8, 2022
Shahzad Akbar – the former PM Imran Khan’s aide on accountability – also reacted to the development and commented on the Daily Mail apology on Twitter.
He wrote that Daily Mail has just apologised and corrected his mistake in its article after finding that Sharif was not charged by NAB for the embezzlement of the British government or DFID funds. He said that it is seemingly a settlement of the case. Akbar said that Daily Mail can do nothing after NAB surrenders before the rulers and NRO 2.
He further said that people should also pay attention to Sharif’s payment of a fine to the British court last week.
ڈیلی میل نے کہا کہ “چونکہ نیب نے شہباز شریف کو برطانوی حکومت یا اسکے ادارے DFID کے مال کو خورد بردکرنے کے الزام پہ چارج نہیں کیا لہذا ادارہ اس الزام کی حد تک معذرت خواہ ہے اور تصحی کرتا ہے”
یہ مقدمہ کی سیٹلمنٹ لگتی ہے
جب نیب ہی لیٹ گئی NRO2 ہو گیا تو ایک ڈیلی میل کیا کرتی؟۱/۲ pic.twitter.com/WhKN1Mrs2a— Mirza Shahzad Akbar (@ShazadAkbar) December 8, 2022
Analysts expressed their opinions that the matter is likely to be settled by both parties as the UK publication did not completely withdraw its allegations, otherwise, it would face hefty fines from the British court.
