Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Media Co-ordinator Muhammad Mehdi has strongly rebutted media reports regarding Raymond Baker's book "Capitalism's Achilles Heel" quoted as so-called cogent testimony against Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.
In a statement, the PML-N leader said the book's pages from 82 to 85 put a hazy light on Nawaz Sharif. The pages contain some repetition of allegations against him based on "eight citations." "I would like to focus on these references and their in authenticity," he said.
According to him, first citation has been taken from a report published by an English language weekly newspaper whose owner had been facing various trials during the second tenure of Nawaz Sharif as prime minister of Pakistan. Since Raymond Baker had not any personal and direct access to the periodical, citation had been taken from the website of MQM, political rival of PML-N.
This citation, featuring value of assets between Ittefaq Group and eight financial institutions, share of assets between late Mian Sharif and his six brothers and outstanding loan on the basis of these assets, bothered to mention merely a report of one company. Although, it was widely known to everyone including media that Ittefaq Group had different legal opinion toward the said company.
Despite all this, it is recalled that all the relevant issues had been resolved with the mutual agreement of stakeholders since long, he added. Mehdi said second citation has been extracted from the news published by another English language newspaper. The news levelled allegations on Nawaz Sharif but failed to furnish a single proof to authenticate the accusations.
Third citation, he said is taken from Dubai-based newspaper, which published the news about Nawaz's summon by accountability court during dictatorial era of Musharraf. It is stark reality that such summons during army rule holds no legality, he added. Indian newspaper is the base of fourth citation that published PPP's bunches of allegation against Nawaz Sharif. Rehman Malik, political foe of PML-N, exploded fabricated accusations. It merits to mention that Indian newspaper did not publish its own investigative story instead printed the PPP' mudslinging, he said.
Subsequent all three citations belong to PPP's diatribe and Rehman Malik's interview full of unsound fulmination. These citations were taken from the US newspaper. Last citation relates to article of Indian journalist. The article revolved around speculations and his personal opinions on Nawaz's forced-exile in Saudi Arabia, he said.
In nutshell, all the eight citations hold no rational or even a worth to be part of logical talk. Raymond Baker's book "Capitalism's Achilles Heel" showcased bank accounts of Nawaz Sharif in detail. However fact is that such detail is neither found nor available in the book. My arguments are never meant any offence rather they rolled out to put the record straight and remove the misconceptions with good faith, Mehdi concluded.