Shahzad involved in fabricated news against Sharifs: Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Monday said that Special Assistance to the Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar was involved in getting the fabricated news published in the ‘Daily Mail’ which accused the Sharif family of laundering quake victims money to UK.

Addressing a news conference here, the former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif to file a law suit in the court of law in London against those involved in getting a news published in UK-based newspapers which accused the Sharif family of laundering quake victims money to England.

Shahid Khaqan also challenged Prime Minister Imran Khan and Shahzad Akbar to file case against Shahbaz Sharif in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) if he committed any corruption. “I ask Shahzad Akbar to approach NAB for filing cases against Shahbaz Sharif if he did anything wrong instead of addressing press conferences daily,” he said. Abbasi said, “Shahzad Akbar should give information to NAB and we are going to approach one of London courts against him.”

“I challenge them to pick up courage to face the court in London and come up with proofs there,” Shahid Khaqan told newsmen. However, he said he was sure that all the liars sitting in the government would have no moral courage to face law suit which Shahbaz Sharif would be going to file in one of London courts to claim damages.

Abbasi recalled that in the past also the incumbent Prime Minister Imran Khan when in opposition, alleged Shahbaz Sharif of offering him Rs10 billion bribe. “Shahbaz Sharif filed law suit in a court in Lahore but nothing came out while Imran Khan also never faced the court,” he said, adding now Shahbaz Sharif has decided to file case in London.

Former premier regretted that the UK based organisation which extended support to earthquake victims, was also targeted in the fresh blame game. “They should not go to such an extreme for personal grudges,” he said, adding that Department for International Development (DFID) also immediately rejected the report carried by the Daily Mail.

The PML-N senior leader said there was no logic behind linking funds received by Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) with Punjab government. “If you want to frame any case against ERRA than a case should also be filed against Pervez Musharraf if there was any embezzlement of funds.” He also asked Shahzad Akbar to recover money from those committed embezzlement in the Peshawar Metro Bus project and now they are part of the present government. “The Peshawar Metro is yet to take start despite the fact that Rs100 billion have been spent on the project but nobody raises questions on it,” he said, adding that metro bus projects in Lahore and Multan were not only completed timely but were functioning successfully. He said that claims of the incumbent government about over-spending in Lahore and Multan metro bus projects also proved false. Abbasi pointed out that name of a person namely Naveed Ikram was mentioned in the case, saying that Naveed was head of Punjab Power Company and he was removed by the then Punjab chief minister Sharif on charges of corruption and Rs400 million were recovered by the anti-corruption department from him. The PML-N leader also displayed copies of some pay orders telling newsmen that they could see as to how funds are disbursed through the State Bank.