PHC stops subordinate court from trying defamation suit

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday suspended the order of trial court about dismissing an application of Qaumi Watan Party’s Member Provincial Assembly Bakht Baidar Khan to decide his defamation suit against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on the basis of reply by defendant Imran Khan in the suit instead of recording evidence.
A two-member bench comprising of Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Musarrat Hilali also stopped the trial court of District and Sessions Judge, Peshawar from trial in the defamation suit till the decision of the court in the review petition.
The bench also issued notice to the PTI chief Imran Khan to submit reply in the review petition. The petitioner had sought decision on his defamation suit against him on the basis of replies submitted in the court by Imran Khan and the petitioner instead of recording evidence and examination of witnesses. On April 7, the District and Sessions Judge, Peshawar had dismissed the application of QWP MPA, who wanted the court to decide his defamation suit against Imran Khan on the basis of replies.
The petitioner’s lawyer Mazullah Barkandi submitted that the PTI chief had admitted in his reply before the trial court that his statement about allegations of corruption against the petitioner in the media is true and was made publicly.