Capt Safdar faces defamation suit

ISLAMABAD:

A legal battle has started between the Independent Group and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's husband as renowned lawyer Ahsan Bhoon has filed a defamation suit against Captain (retd) Safdar Awan before the Punjab Defamation Tribunal over the latter's claims about his credentials.

A nine-member legal team led by Haris Azmat Advocate has filed the defamation case on behalf of Bhoon under the Punjab Defamation Act, 2024. In his suit, Bhoon has requested the tribunal to order Safdar to pay him Rs5 billion damages

He has also requested the tribunal to restrain Safdar from making defamatory statements against him in the future. Likewise, Safdar should be ordered to tender an unconditional apology. The tribunal has also issued notice to the CM's husband on this defamation suit for November 11.

Ahsan Bhoon has maintained in the suit that he got his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of the Punjab in March 1989 under Roll No 828.

The plaint states that the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) approached the university for the verification of his degree in January 2021, following which the university confirmed its genuineness through a letter dated January 5, 2021.

The degree was reportedly verified again in January 2026 after the PBC initiated another verification process in connection with Bhoon's election as a member of the council for the 2026–2030 term.

Bhoon further relied on a third verification letter dated October 12, 2026, issued by the Controller of Examinations of the University of the Punjab and addressed to the PBC secretary.

He also referred to the Judicial Commission of Pakistan's (JCP) October 13, 2026 statement, which revealed that his degree is authentic. Safdar's complaint against him was disposed of based on this JCP statement, he added.

Bhoon referred to Safdar's statements and interviews in which he questioned the authenticity of his law degree. He contended that the defamatory content caused grave and continuing injury to his professional reputation, standing and credibility, which constitute the very foundation of his calling as an advocate.

Some senior lawyers said this legal battle will have profound implications on the relationship between the Independent Group and the PML-N especially the Nawaz Sharif camp.

Safdar is consistently questioning the law degrees of Bhoon and Amjad Shah, who is the presidential candidate in Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) election scheduled for October 29.

Although the PML-N lawyers' wing has announced full support for Amjad Shah, some senior party lawyers like Jahangir Jadoon and Siddique Awan fully back Captain (retd) Safdar's stance.

One PML-N lawyer who is supporting Safdar claims that silent majority of lawyers will vote against Independent Group candidates in the SCBA election.