–PM’s aide claims media enjoys ‘complete freedom’ in Pakistan
SIALKOT: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has said that a leading British tabloid Daily Mail has also exposed “Shehbaz Sharif’s [alleged] massive corruption and money-laundering”.
Talking to the media-persons on Sunday, she said the Sharif family, especially Shehbaz Sharif, plundered 500 million pounds relief aid donated by Britain for the earthquake victims in Pakistan.
She said that Shehbaz also deceived the British people as well as the Pakistani nation through alleged massive money-laundering.
She said that the shameful act by the ‘Corruption King’ Shehbaz Sharif and his gang brought a bad name to Pakistan globally and created a bad impression of the country in the comity of nations as well.
She said that all “national institutions in Pakistan would now probe” the matter of Shehbaz Sharif’s reported corruption, pointed out by the British daily.
She said: “It is a truth published by the leading British newspaper, and not an act of so-called revenge by the Pakistan government against Shehbaz Sharif and his gang.”
She said that the Sharif family also weakened the national institutions for their vested interests and to protect their local and international corruption.
She asked Shehbaz Sharif to quit politics in the larger national interest, as his alleged corruption had been “proved globally”.
Firdous claimed that there was complete freedom of expression in the country, adding that the media was enjoying complete freedom.
She said that some ‘actors’ in Pakistan were giving an impression that the media did not enjoy freedom in Pakistan, adding that she strongly condemned such people.
She said that the government was strengthening the national institutions besides ensuring their complete autonomy as well. Dr Firdous said there was no act of any political revenge against anyone in Pakistan. However, she added, the corrupt would have to face accountability.