Shehbaz hits back at Imran, announces Rs26bn defamation lawsuit

LAHORE: Reacting to allegations of kickbacks and massive corruption, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said he would file a Rs26 billion defamation lawsuit against PTI chairman Imran Khan for leveling baseless accusations.

The Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) leader was speaking at a press conference in Lahore.

Shehbaz Sharif said that he was not asking the PTI chairman to prove his allegations in court. "No, I am going to court against him. Let it be decided for all time to come…forever," he said.

He said that he will issue a mandatory 14-day legal notice to Imran Khan, after which he will take the PTI chairman to court.

"Whether a reply comes or not, I will approach the court. If the court proves the allegations against me, then me and my children will forever leave politics. But if court proves him wrong, then the nation will decide," he said.

I'm going to file a defamation suit of worth Rs 26 billion & 54 crores against Imran in the court of law for his blatant lies & allegations

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) October 26, 2016

IK didn't just try 2 target my person but his real purpose is 2 make CPEC controversial. His sinister designs will b exposed, come what may.

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) October 26, 2016

Neither history, nor this nation will forgive Imran for disrupting the national progress through his political antics...

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) October 26, 2016

I will make sure that this defamation suit is taken to its logical conclusion.. Pakistanis will never endorse Politics of lies and slander..

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) October 26, 2016

The Punjab CM said that he would not respond to any of Imran's lies from now on adding, "The one, who got Rs500 million loan written off, claims to have paid Rs30 million in taxes."

"Those, who don't want country to prosper, have made a wicked plan to close down Pakistan on November 2, while in opposing the CPEC they have gone beyond their opposition to Modi."

"What will they lose by opposing CPEC? He is 'Brown Sahib', but the people will suffer the losses," he added.

Speaking about the man, Javed Sadiq, of whom the PTI chairman earlier claimed was a 'frontman' of Shehbaz Sharif, the chief minister said: "Sadiq was allotted a tender of IT Tower during Pervaiz Ilahi government in Punjab. The man made an offer on behalf of a Chinese company and he would have got another tender, had he been a frontman."

Earlier, Imran Khan alleged that rulers of the country were involved in corruption through their frontman, Javed Sadiq.

The PTI chief said Sadiq was Shehbaz Sharif’s frontman and had received Rs 15 billion in commission to date. He also released pictures of Sadiq. 

“Our rulers think corruption is legal and protest is illegal,” Khan said, adding that IMF chief had warned that no investment would flow into Pakistan until corruption is eliminated.