Sacked QWP minister says Imran Khan failed to reply to a notice issued on Nov 18. PHOTO: FILE
Former provincial minister from the Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Bakht Baidar has filed a Rs1 billion defamation suit against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.
The ex-minister for industries, commerce and technical education alleged the PTI chief had failed to reply to the Rs1 billion defamation notice issued to him earlier along with a deadline of 15 days to explain the decision to sack him from the provincial cabinet last month without any solid proof.
Baidar’s lawyer Babar Khan Yousufzai told The Express Tribune his client had filed the defamation case in the court of district and sessions judge Shaibar Khan, however, the judge was not available on Saturday which is why a notice for the case will be issued to the PTI chairman on Monday.
“In the last notice, we had asked Imran Khan to provide solid proof with regard to the grounds on which the minister was sacked from his post without any prior notice. It was against the law because the minister should have been allowed a right of hearing before he was sacked,” Yousafzai added.
The lawyer maintained the PTI chief was asked to render an apology because he sacked a minister through Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister (CM) Pervez Khattak and allegations were broadcast in the media which tainted the QWP leader’s reputation.
“The court is expected to issue a notice to Imran Khan on Monday and it can also summon him to clarify his position in the case. He was also asked to pay Rs1 billion for the defamation in the notice, but he failed to comply with anything that was stipulated,” the lawyer said.
Bakht Baidar, who currently occupies the general secretary post in the QWP, said the PTI chairman failed to produce proof against him within the 15 day-deadline and also confirmed that a case has been filed against him.
“The CM said in a TV show recently that the government is digging up proof against me, which shows they had no evidence to back the decision at the time of sacking. I demand the PTI chairman to apologise for his decision and to pay a sum of Rs1 billion for tainting my reputation,” said Baidar.
On November 13, on directives issued by the PTI chairman, CM Pervez Khattak fired two ministers of QWP over charges of corruption. Minister for Environment Ibrar Hussain Tanoli, and Bakht Baidar were relieved of their duties.
Soon after, QWP’s provincial chairman and senior minister in the provincial government, Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao resigned from the cabinet in protest over the decision, which he termed was an act of discrimination. In a press conference, the minister said he would instead sit in the opposition benches. In criticism of the provincial government, Sherpao alleged the PTI could not fulfil its ambitious agenda and was now trying to make QWP a scapegoat in the process.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 8th, 2013.
COMMENTS (22)
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I really wish IK and his fan club grow up. He's probably the youngest 62 years old in the world.
Q@Arzoo: BTW, you must have unparalleled access to Imran Kahn's personal financial accounts to have determined that "all his money is in Pakistan, not abroad"!! As for your delusion that "he calls a spade a spade", please note that he is totally incapable of calling the TTP TERRORISTS!!!
@ John th Baptist Sir, I would like to respond to your two different coments here. First of all, let's not jump to any conclusion regarding "magnetic ink". This is the job of Election Commission and Supreme Court to decide. We can only laugh at radicalized pseudo-intellectuals dishing out their "judgements" on various matters of national importance without even understanding the underlying matter. Even the country-wide by-elections have been held without the use of magnetic ink. The entire bureaucracy of ECP has been appointed during Musharraf's and PPP's tenure. The PML-N Government is following the logical approach of not resorting to mass-scale layoffs of people inducted during the dictatorial and NRO-beneficiary regime. Only the proven incompetent or proven corrupt are being shown the door! The Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has rightly offered to establish PTI's Justice (Retd) Wajihuddin Commission to probe the magnetic ink. Justice (R) Wajihuddin is not a radicalized troll and one can expect fairness from him. Secondly, when the ET's Moderator had allowed so many comments but missed out my comment I have the right to enquire. The comment written earlier has been posted later. Maybe that the Moderator didn't like it in the first go!! ;)
In addition to my comment above, I need to add that I support Imran Khan in what he is doing for one primary reason. He is honest, all his money is in Pakistan; not abroad like other politicians do, and he calls a spade a spade. He is not two-faced like other politicians you are familiar with. People, rise above your provincialism, your linguistic and other affiliations and support someone who is sincere and honest. Dismissing two ministers for being corrupt is something that never happened before. This is a change PTI and IK promised before the elections and he has delivered on it. It's now for us to stand behind him and support him. Things do not change overnight, or in 3 months or 6 months. We must be steadfast and persistent in our support for honesty, transparency, and progress.
@John th Baptist:
Dude, you rock. You know how to say it all.
hahaha this third class party qwp have no worth in kpk
if this case goes in to court Bakht Baidar will lose it because it was CM KPK not Imran Khan who sacked the two QWP ministers and one of them was Bakht Baidar.
@Muslim Leaguer:
"Where is my comment?"
Oops, it could not be published as it failed the magnetic ink test!
ET, 10 more like you can get together and still can't stop this man. He is going to bring you all into the 21st century, kicking and screaming. No more corrupt nexus between media controlled by tax cheating business groups and their paid puppets in parliament. And you will be held accountable for all the balderdash and piffle you produce to thwart his progress. And no matter what photos of him you print as you seem to have a knack for trolling your files to get the ones that you think are "funny", he will remain the hope in the hearts of millions who voted for him (despite third class cheater's "magic" ink) and they will continue to support him and pray for his success. Game on!
@king: You are writing in English, so I am assuming you are an educated person, which is why I am curious to know why an educated Pakistani would ask ET, or any other newspaper, to support or oppose a political party or a politician???? Media's role in a democracy is to objectively and accurately report on news of interest in the society. If they are not accurately reporting, you can complain by pointing out where they are wrong. But, what is the rationale to ask the Media to support or oppose your point of view???? Now, if you are a PTI supporter, you can demand from the PTI's information secretary as to why they are not projecting PTI's position vociferously and emphatically enough, so the people are well aware of their position. I think you are scratching up the wrong tree. I will certainly be thankful if you, or someone who thinks like you, would care to comment.
Bakht baidar made a headline for the first time in his life. I am sure no one even knew his name before. All you need to do is criticise Imran Khan and you will reach the headline on ET.
dear ET!from me it's good bye to you guys,you are involved in propaganda against imran khan and you guys are paid,so good bye unless you guys support what needs to be supported,and hate what needs to be hated
well Bakht Baidar will lose the case because it was CM KPK who sacked the two QWP ministers and one of them was Bakht Baidar.
Where is my comment?
I think the case of Rs 1 Billion does not fall under the purview of the court of a district & session judge but under the jurisdiction of a High Court. The maximum amount for a district & session judge to adjudicate is Rs 10 Million. This case is similar to the defamation case filed by Imran Khan Niazi against Khawaja Muhammad Asif in the court of a district & sessions judge in August 2012 when Kh Asif had exposed squandering of donations money by Shaukat Khanum Hospital. The defamation suit of Rs 1 Billion, being over the purview of the lower court, was dismissed. The filing of such cases in lower courts is nothing but merely a face-saving. Bakht Baidar Khan should file the defamation case in Peshawar High Court, if he is really serious!
this case has a weak standing as imran khan has no executive authority in kpk. Cm kpk has that authority. Imran khan will win this case.
1 billion? I might have believed this guy if his demands were just a public apology from Imran Khan or PTI in case there was no proof found against him. But the guy says he wants 1 billion for defamation, please somebody tell me what fame did he have before that got tainted? The very fact that he has asked for 1 billion compensation tells everything, Heck does he even know how many zeros are there in 1 billion?