Former MPA’s damages suit: Court orders publication of notice in newspaper for Imran Khan to respond

PESHAWAR: The additional district and sessions judge on Saturday ordered that court notice be published in a national daily for Prime Minister Imran Khan to submit reply to damages suit against him by a former PTI female MPA or the case would be decided ex-parte.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Shah Waliullah accepted the application filed by the appellant Bibi Fauzia to order publication of court notice in a reputable national daily.

The court directed the appellant to publish the notice in a newspaper before October 24, which is the next date of hearing of the case.

The court passed the order after the prime minister failed to submit reply even after three notices were issued to him in the damages suit.

The judge at the previous hearing had issued notice to Imran Khan to submit reply or the court would decide the case ex-parte after getting the public notice published in a newspaper.

The court was hearing the damages suit filed by the former PTI MPA from Chitral against Imran Khan for defaming her by levelling accusations that she sold her vote for Rs40 million in the Senate election held in March.

After Bibi Fauzia’s membership was suspended by the PTI, she filed the suit for damages through her lawyer Ghufranullah Shah.

She sought an order of the court against the PTI chairman to decree Rs5 billion as damages for defaming her.

It was submitted that the plaintiff was a law-abiding citizen and belonged to a respectable family. She claimed that she had an excellent reputation in the political and social circles. She reminded that she was made parliamentary secretary for tourism and allied services by the previous PTI government in KP.

The plaintiff claimed that in the Senate election, she followed the party policy and cast her vote for the PTI candidates nominated for general and reserved seats.

She stated that the defendant Imran Khan started uttering, spreading and resorting to the publication, communication and circulation of “maliciously false, baseless and oral” statements against the plaintiff.

She recalled that Imran Khan used the electronic, print and social media to accuse her of horse-trading by way of selling her vote for money. The plaintiff said she clarified her position by taking oath on the Holy Quran to deny the allegations. She said her lawsuit was also supported by an affidavit on oath.

Bibi Fauzia stated that she replied on April 28 to a show-cause notice issued by the party leadership. She claimed that an inquiry committee was formed under PTI leader Naeemul Haq, but he failed to call its meeting. She maintained that a second committee headed by Asad Qaiser, former speaker of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, also never held its meeting.

She said after waiting for a long period, she sent a legal notice to the PTI chairman through her lawyer on May 22, asking him to tender an apology or pay damages for defaming her.

Bibi Fauzia told The News after filing damages suit in the court that she wanted to prove her innocence in the court as the defendant had failed to provide evidence after levelling serious allegations against her.