Court says damages suit against Imran to be decided ex-parte

PESHAWAR: The additional district and sessions judge on Wednesday ordered that the damages suit of Rs5 billion filed by a former Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against Prime Minister Imran Khan would be decided ex-parte.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Shah Waliullah passed the order for proceeding with damages suit against Imran Khan.

The defendant did not submit a reply or hire a counsel after the publication of public notice in a national daily newspaper.

The court was hearing the damages suit filed by Fauzia Bibi, the former PTI MPA hailing from Chitral. She filed the damages suit against Imran Khan for accusing her of selling her vote for Rs40 million in the Senate elections held in March.

The court also ordered the plaintiff to provide a list of witnesses within three days.

The court fixed November 15 for recording statements of witnesses in the case.

Fauzia Bibi filed the suit for damages through her lawyer Ghufranullah Shah after the PTI suspended her membership.

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 elections 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.

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