Judge Arshed Malik video scandal: Nasir Butt wins defamation case at UK High Court

LONDON: Nasir Mehmood Butt has won a defamation case at the UK High Court against the New Vision Television (NVTV) over several broadcasts in which Butt was called a multiple killer, organized criminal, blackmailer and gangster soon after Maryam Nawaz released Judge Arshed Malik’s video carrying confession by the judge that he was blackmailed to convict Nawaz Sharif.

Butt had sued the NVTV, the broadcaster of the ARY in the UK, at the London High Court, alleging that he was defamed, maligned and targeted by the NVTV after he secretly filmed the accountability court judge confessing that he was blackmailed and put under pressure to convict Nawaz Sharif at any cost in the Avenfield flats case. Butt had sued the news channel over allegations made on the TV channel by the then information minister Firdous Ashiq Awan and PTI’s Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan.

In an apology submitted to the London High Court to conclude the case with Nasir Butt, the NVTV said: “On July 6, 2019, the television broadcast a number of programmes which contained reports that Nasir Mehmood who is commonly known as Nasir Butt is a multiple murderer, an organised criminal and important member of a drugs cartel, who has escaped justice in Pakistan.

“On July 7, 2019, the television broadcast a programme which contained a report that Nasir Butt is an organised criminal. On July 14, 2019, the New Vision television broadcast a programme which contained comments from Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan that Nasir Butt had escaped justice in Pakistan.

“Nasir Butt has informed us, and we are prepared to accept, that he is not a multiple murderer, he is not an organised criminal or not a member of a drugs cartel, and he has not escaped justice in Pakistan.

“We apologise to Nasir Butt for the distress and embarrassment which these broadcasts have caused him. We have agreed to pay Nasir Butt damages for libel and his legal costs.” Nasir Mehmood Butt, who is the senior vice president of the United Kingdom chapter of the Pakistani Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN), had launched the High Court claim on the basis that on July 6, 2019, Firdous Ashiq Awan alleged that Maryam Nawaz has done a dirty job by running a video in the name of Nasir Butt; It’s important to expose the true face of Nasir Butt before the nation; Nasir Butt is a world-renowned killer, fugitive and leader of the gang; a crucial member of the drugs cartel and fled to England after five murders and remained wanted for 20 years; Nasir Butt’s fraud continued in London; Outside Park Lane flats, Nasir Butt brawled with protesting PTI workers and snatched a mobile phone. The question also is this why judge Arshed Malik met someone like Nasir Butt. The judge video scandal’s central character Nasir Butt doesn’t have a good reputation in the UK.

On July 7, 2019, Nasir Butt claimed he was called a “confirmed gangster” in the “Sawal Yeh Hai” programme. He claimed that on July 14, 2019, on the NVTV, Ali Muhammad Khan linked Nasir Butt with “Sicilian Mafia”. Ali had said: “Maryam Nawaz has launched a suicide attack.”

Nasir Butt said in a statement to the media: “I am vindicated at the London High Court. I dedicate my defamation case victory to Nawaz Sharif. Judge Arshed Malik revealed one of the biggest truths of Pakistan’s political history that he was used to target the three-time elected prime minister of Pakistan but on the orders of the govt, the Pakistani media attacked me to suppress the truth. The late judge told me several times, before I filmed him, that he was full of remorse that he jailed innocent Nawaz Sharif. He asked me to take him to Nawaz Sharif where he apologized to Nawaz Sharif and said he had no choice but to convict him because he was shown a compromising video by some powerful people who told him to make a decision against Nawaz Sharif or the video will be released. Judge Arshed Malik said he was clear that Nawaz Sharif has not done any kind of corruption but he was targeted to rig the 2018 elections. I am thankful to Almighty Allah that even in UK courts, Nawaz Sharif’s honour and integrity stand cleared. The PTI government, especially Shehzad Akbar, used the FIA and police against my family, chained my family members and treated them like terrorists and offered us to stop supporting Nawaz Sharif but we told them we will stand with Nawaz Sharif forever. I have firm belief that these characters will face justice for their crimes against Pakistan. My claim against other TV channels continues.”