Ishaq Dar wins defamation case in UK over corruption charges

LONDON: Pakistan’s Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has won defamation case against a Pakistani private TV channel over false allegations of “money-laundering”, “criminal activities”, “opening fake accounts” and “running away in Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s plane” aired on the channel’s UK station by former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Minister Farrukh Habib.

The allegations were made when Ishaq Dar was about to return to Pakistan to take over the finance ministry in September 2022. In a settlement reached with Ishaq Dar after he initiated defamation proceedings under UK laws, the channel has issued an apology to Ishaq Dar on its UK channel categorically stating that the uninterrupted allegations of criminal activities made on the channel by PTI leader Farrukh Habib were “completely false, baseless and untrue”.

The channel apologised to Ishaq Dar stating that it “deeply” regretted airing false allegations by Farrukh Habib, the PTI’s former National Assembly member from Faisalabad. The channel has also said it confirms that Ishaq Dar is a man of great credibility and honesty who has never been involved in corruption and has always worked diligently for the betterment of Pakistan. Ishaq Dar adopted legal course after the channel aired allegations on September 25, 2022 and September 26, 2022 during the programme “Night Edition with Shazia Zeeshan” at channel UK Channel and the UK channel on YouTube.

During the show, it was asserted by PTI leader Farrukh Habib that Ishaq Dar was “returning to Pakistan to collect the proceeds of criminal activities derived from Pakistan Muslim League N’s time in Government; and that in collusion with the former prime minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, will return to Pakistan to embezzle and launder proceeds derived from illicit activities back to the UK”.