Iftikhar Chaudhry sends Rs20b defamation notice to PTI chief
Former CJ says he will withdraw claim if Imran tenders an unconditional apology or pays Rs20 billion within 14 days
ISLAMABAD:
Former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Thursday sent a defamation notice worth Rs20 billion to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan under section 8 of the Defamation Ordinance, 2002.
(You can read the entire defamation notice here).
"I claim from you in damages a token sum of Rs15 billion only and another Rs5 billion only as damages for mental agonies, torture, harassment, humiliation, etc, caused to me as well as my family," said the former chief justice in the notice.
However, the retired justice added, he would withdraw his claim if the PTI chief tendered an unconditional apology or agreed to pay Rs20 billion within a period of 14 days.
In the notice, Chaudhry said Imran had defamed him as well as the judiciary by accusing him of rigging practices in the general elections.
Referring to the PTI chief's remarks about the alleged rigging that took place in the May 11 general elections, Chaudhry said Imran has "again started repeating indecent words against the judiciary, DROs and ROs, etc and alleged their involvement in the so-called rigging."
The former CJ said Imran's speeches/press conferences were calculated with "the underlying mischief of harassing me and my family members and you have succeeded in damaging my reputation and image."
"Allegations about my conduct and that of some of the ROs are clearly based on some ulterior motives and political gimmickry," the notice further stated.
The ex-chief justice said, "perhaps, in making these baseless allegations, you wanted to extract revenge from the Court for not getting relief in respect of four select electoral Constituencies, where you alleged rigging had taken place."
"What you do not seem to realise is that independent courts do not act on anyone's whims and fancies," he added.
"Perhaps you had hoped that your political might would allow you to extract 'forced justice' from the Supreme Court," claimed the former chief justice.
"Dirty tactics like slandering cannot intimidate judges who possess moral courage," he further stated.
Former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Thursday sent a defamation notice worth Rs20 billion to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan under section 8 of the Defamation Ordinance, 2002.
(You can read the entire defamation notice here).
"I claim from you in damages a token sum of Rs15 billion only and another Rs5 billion only as damages for mental agonies, torture, harassment, humiliation, etc, caused to me as well as my family," said the former chief justice in the notice.
However, the retired justice added, he would withdraw his claim if the PTI chief tendered an unconditional apology or agreed to pay Rs20 billion within a period of 14 days.
In the notice, Chaudhry said Imran had defamed him as well as the judiciary by accusing him of rigging practices in the general elections.
Referring to the PTI chief's remarks about the alleged rigging that took place in the May 11 general elections, Chaudhry said Imran has "again started repeating indecent words against the judiciary, DROs and ROs, etc and alleged their involvement in the so-called rigging."
The former CJ said Imran's speeches/press conferences were calculated with "the underlying mischief of harassing me and my family members and you have succeeded in damaging my reputation and image."
"Allegations about my conduct and that of some of the ROs are clearly based on some ulterior motives and political gimmickry," the notice further stated.
The ex-chief justice said, "perhaps, in making these baseless allegations, you wanted to extract revenge from the Court for not getting relief in respect of four select electoral Constituencies, where you alleged rigging had taken place."
"What you do not seem to realise is that independent courts do not act on anyone's whims and fancies," he added.
"Perhaps you had hoped that your political might would allow you to extract 'forced justice' from the Supreme Court," claimed the former chief justice.
"Dirty tactics like slandering cannot intimidate judges who possess moral courage," he further stated.