The ex-CJP’s Rs. 20 billion defamation lawsuit against Imran Khan was rejected

After almost ten years, former Pakistani Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry filed a Rs20 billion defamation case against Imran Khan, the founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), but it was dismissed by a municipal court in Islamabad on Saturday.

Khan received a defamation notice of Rs20 billion from the previous CJP in July 2014 after the latter accused Khan of manipulating the 2013 general election.

If Khan did not provide an apology for the accusations he had made about Chaudhry’s client previously, Chaudhry’s attorneys had threatened to file a lawsuit against him.

But in January 2015, the former chief justice formally filed the complaint at the federal capital’s court of district and sessions judge against the PTI founder.

The former CJP said in his complaint that the PTI founder made disparaging statements about him in his June 27, 2014, statement. It further stated that Khan made up and unfounded accusations against the legal system.

Following drawn-out hearings, the court ruled that Khan’s defamation notice was no longer valid and dismissed Khan’s complaint.

Haseena Saqlain, the Additional District Judge for Islamabad-West, stated in her decision that the complaint is dismissed since it was submitted beyond the deadline specified by Section 12 of the 2002 Ordinance.

The plaintiff claimed that on June 27, 2014, Khan made disparaging statements against Chaudhry, and the judge took notice of this. Six months and twenty-four days later, on January 20, 2015, the complaint moved the court.

It is thus assumed that on the day of publication, the plaintiff knew of the allegedly defamatory words. As a result, it is not permitted to file the instant complaint after the time limit specified by Section 12 of the Defamation Ordinance 2002,” the ruling stated.