Defamation case: Court issues ex-parte decision against minister Shaukat Yousafzai

PESHAWAR: The district and sessions judge here on Monday issued ex-parte decision in favour of Awami National Party (ANP) President Asfandyar Wali Khan as former spokesperson of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and incumbent Provincial Minister for Labour and Culture Shaukat Yusufzai did not appear before the court about the allegations he had levelled against the ANP leader. The ANP had moved the court against the then Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Shaukat Yusufzai for defaming his personality and damaging his image in the public by charging baseless allegations against him.

He had filed the case through Wakeel Zaman Khattak Advocate and Rafiq Mohmand in a local court a few months back. However, Shaukat Yusufzai did not appear before the court to prove his allegations despite repeated notices issued to him by the court. The ANP leader had filed a defamation case of Rs150 million against Shaukat Yousafzai.

Meanwhile, Minister for Labour and Culture Shaukat Yusufzai in a statement said that he had great respect for the court, but he had either received any notice from the court nor he knew that the ANP leader had filed a defamation case against him. He said he had levelled no allegations against the ANP leader but he had quoted former ANP leader and close a relative of Asfandyar Wali Khan, Azam Khan Hoti.