Defamation suit: Judge issues notice to Imran Khan

PTI chief had alleged Iftikhar Chaudhry’s hand in ‘rigging’ the 2013 polls

ISLAMABAD: District and sessions judge Islamabad Nazir Ahmed Ganjana has issued a notice to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan over former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry’s Rs20 billion defamation suit filed against him for alleging his hand in “rigging” the May 2013 elections.

The former CJP on Tuesday filed the Rs20 billion damage suit in district and sessions court Islamabad under section 9 of the Defamation Ordinance 2002 against the PTI chief.

This is the first time in Pakistan’s history that a former chief justice has filed a damage suit against a politician in any matter.

Legal team of the plaintiff, headed by Sheikh Ahsan Uddin, appeared before the bench on Tuesday and briefly argued. Subsequently, the court issued notice to Imran Khan for January 29.

Sheikh Ahsan told The Express Tribune that under the law, the court is bound to dispose of the case within 90 days, adding that the sessions court is the only forum which entertain the damage suit.

On the other hand, the PTI chief has announced to contest the matter in the court. However, PTI’s legal wing, headed by Hamid Khan, has shown reluctance to defend Imran in this case.

Ahmad Awais, Imran Khan’s lawyer, told The Express Tribune that he and Hamid Khan will remain neutral in this legal battle.

An active lawyer Riasat Ali Azad has revealed that the PTI’s legal wing in Islamabad District Bar is also backing Iftikhar Chaudhry in the matter.

While submitting the damage suit against Imran, Iftikhar has offered that if a commission is constituted to probe last year’s elections then he is ready to become a party in it.

The former CJ says that the allegations against him smack of a hypocritical and selective approach.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21^st, 2015.