ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government seems to have lost its ability to make sensible decisions and continues to make blunders as in a fresh initiative, the government on Thursday advertised the ICIJ’s apology for mentioning Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s name in its report over offshore companies. However, the ICIJ denied issuing such apology.
On April 27, the leading newspaper “The News” published a story in which it mentioned the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) as having issued a clarification that Nawaz Sharif’s name mistakenly appeared in the Panama Papers and also sought an apology to the Pakistan government.
As per the “The News” report, the federal government on Thursday put an advertisement on the newspaper’s frontpage, mentioning ICIJ’s apology and also strongly criticised the opposition for dragging Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Panama papers controversy.
However, the ICIJ in an email termed the ‘The News’ report ‘extremely misleading’ and claimed that it didn’t issue an apology to the Pakistan government and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s name still exists in the Panama Papers.
In response to government’s advertisement, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and leading journalists lambasted the PML-N in twitter for running false propaganda campaign against the opponents by misusing public funds instead of clearing their names.
To hide their own corruption, Sharifs have launched a massive propaganda campaign against political opponents funded by taxpayer money. 1/3
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 28, 2016
2/3 Pak has one of the lowest Human Dev Index in S Asia but govt spending public money to detract from Sharifs off shore accts/properties
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 28, 2016
Why can’t Sharif family use its own money – the billions stashed abroad – for their propaganda campaign instead of misusing public funds?
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 28, 2016
After reading advertisement in today papers by PMNS 4m our taxes,my Q to PM:
Did he know his 3 kids had offshore since 1993 r he didnt know?— Rauf Klasra (@KlasraRauf) April 28, 2016
After the PM’s done using our taxes to clear his name can he please help this Pakistani boy stuck in India get home? pic.twitter.com/tbrUiLigl9
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) April 28, 2016
All the millions of Pakistanis who don’t pay tax will see this and feel good that they didn’t pay for this ad pic.twitter.com/V5Z2xb0qCG
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) April 28, 2016
