Defamation suit: Imran Khan challenges court jurisdiction

KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday challenged the jurisdiction of a Lahore court in the defamation case filed against him by Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif.

Shehbaz’s counsel, Mustafa Ramday, had filed a lawsuit against Imran for alleging that a close associate of the Punjab chief minister offered Rs10 billion to Imran in exchange for withdrawing the Panama Papers case against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

The PTI chief’s legal counsel argued that the case should be dismissed on the grounds that its jurisdiction does not lie with any court in Lahore, as the incident happened in Islamabad.

The court summoned legal counsels of both parties on November 4. 

Defamation suit: Lahore court gives Imran last chance to submit reply

Imran’s lawyer Babar Awan submitted advocate letter on behalf of his client in the case today

On April 25, Khan, during a gathering at Shaukat Khanum Hospital, Lahore, alleged that he had been made an offer regarding the Panama case.

"Just imagine how much money he offered me to be silent — Rs10 billion! If he can offer me this much money, just imagine how much he could offer others. That is why if we don't maintain public pressure on this issue, then after two months it will be dragged to the next year," Khan had claimed.

In an interview televised following the statement, Khan refused to reveal the name of the person who made the offer but did state that this person was close to the Punjab chief minister.