PTI leader files plea against defamation verdict

PESHAWAR: A Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shaukat Yousafzai on Tuesday filed a plea against the defamation suit he had lost to Awami National Party (ANP) President Asfandyar Wali Khan the previous day.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Ijazur Rahman Qazi on Monday ordered the PTI leader, a former provincial minister, to pay Rs150 million in damages to the ANP chief after he was found guilty of defaming the senior nationalist leader.

Shaukat Yousafazi had at a press conference on July 25, 2019 accused Asfandyar of selling Pakhtuns for 25 million dollars. He had held the ANP chief responsible for the killings of Pakhtuns in the province in terror acts.

The ANP leader had subsequently filed a defamation case against the PTI leader which he ultimately won against the PTI leader.The PTI leader in his application said the court verdict against him was one-sided. He said the verdict should be set aside and decided on merit.

Shaukat Yousafazi said he had filed an application in the past to stop the one-sided court proceedings against him. He requested the court to provide him a chance to clarify his position.