Defamation suit: Court gives Imran Khan another chance to file reply

Defamation suit: Court gives Imran Khan another chance to file reply

Lahore (Staff Report): A local court on Friday sent a notice to the PTI chief Imran Khan, directing him to submit his reply in defamation suit till August 21.

An additional district and session judge issued a second notice to Khan on Rs10 billion suit for damages filed by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif under Defamation Ordinance 2002.

“A decree for the recovery of Rs10 billion as compensation for the publication of the aforesaid defamatory content be passed against the defendant [Imran] and in favour of the plaintiff [Shahbaz],” the eight-page petition filed though former advocate general for Punjab Mustafa Ramday stated.

“It is further prayed that this honourable court may very kindly award the costs of the suit to the plaintiff. Any other relief deemed fit and proper by this honourable court may also be granted in favour of the plaintiff,” it said.

The suit also states that Imran Khan made the “utterly false statement” on different television shows as well as at a public gathering.

The court issued orders for the PTI chief to appear before the court on July 21.

Shehbaz Sharif had sent a Rs10 billion defamation notice to Imran Khan under sections 4 and 9 of the Defamation Ordinance, 2002, stating that the PTI chief had falsely accused the Punjab CM of making him a financial offer for his ‘silence over the Panama Papers case’.

On April 25, Khan during a gathering at Shaukat Khanum Hospital, Lahore, alleged that he had been made an offer in the Panama case.