Court upholds defamation ruling in favour of Pak-US tech entrepreneur

LAHORE/LONDON: Additional District and Sessions Judge, Lahore, Farhan Nabi has dismissed a magazine editor’s plea to set aside a defamation case judgment in favour of Pakistani-American tech entrepreneur Zia Chishti, documents show.

In May this year, Chishti won a major defamation lawsuit over serious accusations against him, labelling his reputation as “toxic” and citing allegations of sexual misconduct and violation of securities and other corporate laws against him. The judge had ruled in Chishti’s favour.

Later, the defendant filed an application with the court, seeking reversal of the judgment, contending that the notice service was improper, which violated his right to a fair trial. He requested the court to set aside the earlier ex-parte order against him on the principle that “no one should be condemned unheard”.

The defendant claimed to have learned about the suit and the ex-parte judgment only after this reporter reached out to him for his version on a report published by The News and Geo.

The judge rejected the defendant’s application, ruling that it was established before the court that the papers were served properly at the correct address used by the defendant.

Chishti is a serial tech entrepreneur who founded the multibillion-dollar company behind Invisalign dental braces and artificial intelligence company Afiniti.