Sethi sends Rs50 bn defamation notice to TIP

LAHORE: Senior journalist Najam Sethi on Friday sent a Rs50 billion legal notice to Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) for defaming him in a letter accusing him of evading tax.

The notice declared the letter, sent by TI-Pakistan Chairman Suhail Muzaffar as “false, ill founded, unsubstantiated” and based on “malicious remarks and insinuations”.

Muzaffar, in the letter which was also sent to the president, chairman NAB, federal tax ombudsman, registrar of Supreme Court and the media, praised Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chairman Tariq Bajwa on the recovery of what he claimed as evaded tax of Rs10.625 million from Sethi.

The journalist blamed the organisation for spearheading a campaign of vilification of him.

“The wrongs committed through Publication by yourself, for which according to law you are directly responsible, constitute both civil as well as criminal wrongs,” said the notice.

The anti-corruption watchdog has been given an opportunity to tender an apology within a week for the loss it has caused to the journalist, or pay Rs50 billion in compensation.

Click here to read the complete legal notice.