Political activist sues channel over defamatory allegations

LONDON: Well-known British Pakistani politician and Senior Vice President of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) Nasir Mahmood Butt has filed a defamation case against a private TV channel for airing false allegations against him in a recent show. Butt has demanded of the news channel to withdraw defamatory statements and tender an unqualified apology over libelous remarks made during the show called “Khara Such”.

Legal letters seen by this correspondence shows that Nasir Butt has informed the channel that if an apology was not made then a legal case will be started in Pakistan as well as in the UK where the channel airs. The program was broadcast on 23rd of November 2017. Nasir Butt’s lawyer has told the channel that defamatory, scandalous and fabricated allegations were made against Nasir Butt during the show. The lawyer stated in the letter that his client was wrongly linked in a murder case in Rawalpindi in 1996.

“The case was discharged and accepted by the court of law in 2016. Apart from said murder case there was no other criminal case against Mr. Nasir Mahmood Butt,” reads the letter. The legal notice says Nasir Butt has an unimpeachable reputation amongst his peers and public at large and has always endeavoured to serve the Pakistani community in the UK as well as in Pakistan to the best of his abilities.

“He is a loyal, steadfast and committed member of a political party and is actively engaged in implementing its manifesto. During the show, a picture of Nasir Butt was shown repeatedly and it was alleged by the host that Nasir Butt “escaped from Pakistan like Ishaq Dar, Hasan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz”. Nasir Butt told this reporter that he was in Pakistan and never fled the country as claimed by the host out of personal hatred. He said a deliberate effort of tarnishing his image was made by the anchor, using platform of the channel.

“It was a cause of lowering my reputation and defame and damage my personal honour.” Nasir Butt said he was planning to launch action in the UK against the online and digital properties of the channel for the libelous show. He told this correspondent that he was an honourable person in community and will continue to serve the community but reserved the right to protect his reputation.