On 16 November 2022, Imran announced that he had decided to take legal action against Geo News for defamation.
London: A year after he made headlines by announcing that he would sue geo news and its anchor Shahzeb Khanzada in the United Kingdom, former Prime Minister Imran Khan has backed out of his pledge as his UK lawyers have not taken any action against him Earth and its prime-time anchor in the UK High Court for defamation.
On November 16, 2022, Imran had announced that he had decided to take legal action for defamation. geo news On 15 November its anchor Khanzada was accused of “character assassination” in the UK after the anchor interviewed Dubai-based businessman Omar Farooq Zahoor, who had purchased the Toshakhana rare graft watch Kaaba edition for a price of $2 million – the same watch that Bought by Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad. Bin Suleiman had given the gift to the former prime minister, which was later sold in the open market.
Even after a year, Imran’s UK lawyers have not taken action against him geo news This follows a strong defense presented by Geo Lawyers at Carter-Ruck in response to the initial claim issued by Imran’s lawyers based in St Helens.
Imran had also promised to file a case geo news and Zahoor in Dubai, but no action was taken in the UAE, where Imran’s lawyer’s initial efforts failed as he could not establish any grounds against Zahoor or Geo.
It was Britain where Imran and his party leaders insisted on being the main focus.
Imran had announced in a video on November 16 and through PTI’s official Jio Group in London. I have spoken to my lawyer and I have decided to initiate a case against him in London Earth, I will do this because I have two registered charities in the UK that I head: NAMAL University and Shaukat Khanum. Earth airs in the UK and will be the basis of my case Earth Have defamed me.”
On December 17, 2022, the former prime minister said in a tweet: “My UAE lawyers, led by Hassan Shad, have now filed criminal defamation (insult and slander) proceedings under UAE law.” jio tvShahzeb Khanzada and fraudster Omar Farooq Zahoor.”
Imran was referring to Khanzada’s interview with Zahoor in which Zahoor produced the expensive watch and revealed that Farah Gogi had sold him the wristwatch for $2 million in April 2019, making it worth around Rs 280 million at the time of sale. Was Rs.
The businessman also claimed that PTI people wanted to sell the watch for $40 lakh to $50 lakh, but after negotiations he bought it for $20 lakh. He said the payment was made in cash at Farah’s insistence.
Imran’s English lawyer wrote geo news London says the broadcast has damaged the former Prime Minister’s credibility and “undoubtedly put our client’s charity projects at considerable risk” and “the program has seriously damaged our client’s reputation and caused him significant harm.” Have suffered personal and professional embarrassment”.
The claim states: “Mr Khan is a philanthropist. Within the United Kingdom, Mr Khan is a Trustee of the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust (registered charity number 1000580), which operates the Imran Khan Cancer Appeal and Namal College (registered charity number 1000580). Our client is personally involved in global fundraising efforts for these charities, raising millions of pounds in donations primarily from individuals of Pakistani heritage (and their businesses) based outside Pakistan. The broadcast of the program and the meaning of the words used during the program seriously offended our client.
Earth The lawyers told Imran’s lawyers that they had effectively failed in a number of letters to put forward any evidence of serious harm suffered by Imran. jio’s Broadcast in England and Wales on November 15, 2022.
Earth The lawyers argued that on September 18, 2018, Imran, who was prime minister at the time, accepted gifts of an antique Graff watch, a diamond ring, a gold pen and a set of diamond cufflinks from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Did. Order of state visit; Then deposited a sum of Rs 20,178,000 to buy Saudi gifts; And on October 1, 2020, made a public statement that he has paid to fix a road near his home in Bani Gala as a result of money raised through the sale of gifts.
Earth Saying that its broadcast had no agenda and was focused only on facts, on October 21, 2022, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) found Imran guilty of corrupt conduct in relation to Saudi gifts and Toshakhana gifts and removed him from office. is removed. He was removed from the post of member of the National Assembly of Pakistan for being a parliamentary member and for dishonesty.
Earth The lawyers cited several local and international media instances where similar facts had been reported that the ECP had declared that Imran was involved in corrupt conduct.
jio’s The lawyers wrote: “Your client will undoubtedly agree that as a result of the ECP decision of 21 October 2022, which found him guilty of corrupt conduct and immediately disqualified him from the National Assembly, your client’s reputation suffered significant damage . Within Pakistan and indeed globally.
To the extent that your client has suffered any loss within this jurisdiction, which is not accepted for the avoidance of doubt, it is our client’s position that this is the result of the very serious findings of the ECP on 21 October 2021.
It was on November 14, 2022, when Earth Zahoor had contacted with the information that he was a buyer of Saudi gifts but geo news Took steps to verify the information received to determine whether it was reliable – this due diligence included digital analysis of the received footage of the Saudi gift and its supporting authentication.
Only after verification it was established that Zahoor had the watch and certification geo news Decided to interview Mr. Zahoor for ‘Today with Shahzeb Khanzada’.
Carter Rook wrote to Imran’s lawyers with evidence that Earth Attempts were made to contact the PTI leadership with more than two dozen messages, but each leader said they were banned from appearing. Earth,
In March last year, authorities in Dubai had refused to entertain an attempt by the PTI chairman’s lawyer to file a criminal defamation case here due to lack of evidence.
Imran had instructed his lawyer Hassan Aslam in Dubai to file a defamation case and initiate criminal proceedings in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). geo newsKhanzada, and Dubai-based businessman Zahoor.
Hassan Aslam Shad had approached Barsha Police Station earlier this year to register a case as per Imran’s announcement, but Dubai Police dismissed him due to lack of evidence and the lawyer’s failure to establish the merits of the case under UAE laws. Refused to consider the request.
Imran’s UK lawyer did not respond to our request for comment.
