British journalist hits back at PML-N trolls over 'corruption' story; rejects DIFD rebuttal

LONDON – British journalist David Rose Sunday hit back at Pakistan Muslim League-N leaders and fans for terming his news story on alleged embezzlement and money laundering by their party chairman Shehbaz Sharif as 'baseless' and 'propaganda campaign'.

In his report published in British newspaper Mail on Sunday, the journalist had alleged that Shehbaz Sharif and his family had embezzled and laundered millions of pounds out of £500 million aid coming from UK during his tenure as chief minister of Punjab.

However, the PML-N spokesperson Maryam Aurangzeb termed it a conspiracy against the opposition leader hatched by the government. She also showed to media a picture showing the journalist sitting with Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Special Assistant Shahzad Akbar.

The journalist took to Twitter saying, "the PMLN trolls in Pakistan are posting a photo of me with Imran Khan, claiming this shows my article about Shahbaz Sharif was 'planted'.

The PMLN trolls in Pakistan are posting a photo of me with Imran Khan, claiming this shows my article about Shahbaz Sharif was “planted”. The photo was taken last year, when I interviewed him before the election. Here’s the proof https://t.co/MH2L1tNPOF

— David Rose (@DavidRoseUK) July 14, 2019

"The photo was taken last year, when I interviewed him before the election. Here's the proof," he said while sharing the web link of the interview published on July 21, 2018 in the same paper.

David Rose also witticized the PML-N trolls and questioned his Twitter followers whether any of the PML-N trolls yet claimed that the story involved the "hand of India"?

A question to my followers in Pakistan. Have any of the PMLN trolls attacking me yet claimed that besides Imran Khan and the ISI, my story today was the work of the “hand of India”? 😂 https://t.co/8MMkCkErCv

— David Rose (@DavidRoseUK) July 14, 2019

Meanwhile, in his reaction to the rebuttal issued by Department for the International Development (DFID), the journalist termed it "nothing of the kind."

This DFID “rebuttal” of my story about Shahbaz Sharif is nothing of the kind. It merely repeats their statement quoted in the article, and claims the piece contains no evidence about the earthquake fund. Read it. It does. Poor show. More wasted cash! https://t.co/gHiAvF8w0f

— David Rose (@DavidRoseUK) July 14, 2019

The DFID had said that the news story lacked any evidences to substantiate the claims made in the report.

"It merely repeats their statement quoted in the article, and claims the piece contains no evidence about the earthquake fund. Read it. It does. Poor show. More wasted cash!," David Rose commented.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif has announced that he will take legal action against The Mail for publishing a "fabricated and misleading story".

Have decided to file law suit against Daily Mail. The fabricated and misleading story was published at the behest of Imran Khan and Shahzad Akbar. We will also launch legal proceedings against them. Btw IK has yet to respond to three such cases I filed against him for defamation.

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) July 14, 2019

He accused the paper of publishing the story "on the behest of [Prime Minister] Imran Khan and [premier's aide] Shahzad Akbar" and said that he will initiate legal proceedings against the latter two as well.