Shahbaz warns Imran: apologise or face lawsuit

Asks the PTI chief to respond within 14 days

LAHORE: In a legal notice to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Friday, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif asked his political foe to tender a public apology and withdraw the ‘false’ allegations levelled against him or else be prepared for a damages suit.

Earlier this week, Imran Khan claimed that CM Shahbaz through his alleged front man, Javed Sadiq, had pocketed Rs15 billion from four contracts secured for some Chinese companies.

Though Shahbaz had vehemently denied the allegations, he announcing that he would file a defamation notice worth Rs26.54 billion against Imran for levelling ‘baseless’ and ‘cheap’ allegations.

In his four-page notice,  Shahbaz told Imran that under section 8 of the defamation ordinance 2002, he [Imran] should do the needful within 14 days, failing which, Shahbaz will turn to any legal remedy available to him under the law.

He said the Punjab government and its various departments and agencies always grant contracts in a transparent, fair and lawful manner – a fact recognised and acknowledged not only nationally but even internationally.

The notice said Nawaz government’s successful delivery of public projects for the masses has been rewarded with independent domestic and international acclaim.

“Shahbaz is a highly responsible and respected political leader of the country. His integrity, honesty, righteousness and incorruptibility have been tested and scrutinised not once but thrice by the wise, enlightened, knowledgeable and sagacious people of Pakistan,” the notice said.

It said allegations levelled by Imran had received wide coverage in the print and electronic media and as such had tarnished the honour and reputation of Shahbaz.

“Your false vilification of Shahbaz Sharif’s intentions has the potential to erode the carefully built trust with domestic and international partners that has wider ramifications on development in Punjab and national progress overall,” it said.

“These allegations are yet again to be denied as false… I am instructed to call upon you to withdraw the same and to tender a public apology to Mr Shahbaz Sharif,” the CM’s counsel Mustafa Ramday said in the notice.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2016.