A file photo of PTI chairperson Imran Khan. PHOTO: PPI
A court on Tuesday rejected the application of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan seeking the dismissal of the Rs1 billion defamation suit filed against him by Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) leader Bakht Baidar Khan and declared it maintainable for hearing.
District and Sessions judge Shaiber Khan announced the verdict he reserved on March 8 on whether the petition is maintainable and declared that without proof the defamation suit cannot be rejected.
The court also ordered the plaintiff to provide documentary proof before the next hearing supporting his claims of removal from the provincial cabinet on baseless allegations. The court stated that under the present circumstances and keeping in view the nature of the case, it cannot be decided without proof whether the suit is maintainable.
Amir Javed, the PTI chairman’s counsel, informed the court at the last hearing that Baidar was removed by Chief Minister Pervez Khattak but the latter was not made a respondent in the case.
Javed had further said that as the person who actually removed former minister Baidar is not mentioned in the suit, and it should thus be rejected under Article 7, Rule 11 of the Code of Civil Procedure 1908.
Baidar’s counsels claim his removal on ‘fake’ charges of corruption brought a bad name to their client and defamed his reputation.
Talking to the media outside the courtroom on Tuesday, Baidar said if the defendant has any proof supporting his allegations of corruption then he should bring them to the court.
QWP’s Baidar, former minister for labour and Ibrar Hussain Tanoli, minister for forest, were removed from office on November 13 on corruption charges. Later Baidar sent a legal notice to Imran Khan to render an apology; the failure to do so led to his filing of a Rs1 billion defamation suit.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 2nd, 2014.
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