Hearing on Shahbaz’s suit against Imran put off

LAHORE: A sessions court on Thursday adjourned the hearing of a Rs10 billion suit for damages filed by former Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif under the Defamation Ordinance 2002 against PTI Chairman and Prime Minister Imran Khan by September 28. On Thursday, the counsel of Shahbaz Sharif implored the court to hear the case on a daily basis after which the court issued notices to the counsel of the PTI chairman and adjourned the hearing by September 28. As per details, the suit filed through Advocate Mustafa Ramday states that the defendant (Imran Khan) in April 2016 started uttering false and malicious statements against the plaintiff (Shahbaz Sharif) that the latter offered Rs10 billion to the former through a common friend in exchange for withdrawing the Panama Papers case pending with the supreme court. It says the plaintiff served a legal notice on the defendant, asking him to tender a proper apology within 14 days through print and electronic media. However, the defendant failed to offer apology and the plaintiff left with no option but to approach the court for recovery of damages.