Hearing of Rs10b defamation suit against Imran adjourned

LAHORE: The hearing of defamation case filed by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif against PTI Chairman Imran Khan was adjourned for two weeks, as Additional District and Sessions Judge Shabana Risalat is on leave. The duty judge issued another notice to Imran’s counsels in Rs 10 billion defamation suit. During a hearing on February 2, the court gave Imran’s counsel Babar Awan the last chance to appear in court, as the latter had been absent since the defamation suit was filed in July last year. The counsel for Shahbaz had argued that Awan was using delaying tactics by not appearing before the court and challenging its jurisdiction. The court then gave Awan a last chance to appear and present his arguments. In November last year, the chief minister had filed a petition seeking a swift verdict in the case, stating that Imran was employing delay tactics and the verdict should be given in the next 90 days. Imran, in a public gathering last year, had claimed that Shahbaz had offered to pay him Rs 10 billion to remain silent on the Panama Papers case against the Sharif family.