PTI chief Imran Khan to file defamation suit against NAB for tarnishing 'reputation'

Former Pakistan Premier and PTI Chairman Imran Khan has decided to file a defamation lawsuit against the chief of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), seeking damages of up to Rs 15 billion for the "ridicule" he was subjected to during his dramatic arrest from the Islamabad High Court last month.

In a lengthy statement on Twitter, Khan claimed that the warrant against him was deliberately issued on a public holiday and was kept a secret for over a week. "I have decided to file a Rs 15 Billion Defamation Suit, against Chairman, NAB. I have served Legal Notice upon him. My Arrest Warrant was issued on a public holiday and was kept in secrecy for eight days," he wrote on Friday.

He further added that he was not made aware of his Al-Qadir Trust case being turned from an inquiry into a full-blown investigation. Labelling his arrest as "unlawful and unconstitutional", Khan said that he endured harsh treatment and the only goal of the elaborate legal drama was to defame him and erode his reputation.

"I was not informed about conversion of Al-Qadir Trust Case Inquiry into Investigation. Conditions stipulated in Sec 24 of NAB Ordinance were disregarded. Supreme Court held that manner and execution of my Arrest Warrant was unlawful and unconstitutional. To execute Arrest Warrant, Pakistan Rangers was used which subjected me to brute force," he continued.

Imran Khan labels inquiry 'bogus'

"Ulterior motive was to defame me by arresting me from premises of Islamabad High Court. And show the world that I was arrested on corruption charges. I collect Rs 10 billion in charity annually. My credibility has never been questioned. Nevertheless, act of implicating me in a bogus inquiry followed by my illegal and malafide arrest, have adversely affected my reputation. It has subjected me to ridicule," he tweeted, concluding that it is, therefore, his right to begin defamation proceedings.  

Meanwhile, turmoil in Pakistan has continued to spiral after it was first triggered by Khan's arrest on May 9. Since then, thousands of PTI leaders and supporters have been detained, harassed, or forced to leave the party. Just recently, nine more PTI members were apprehended and handed over to the Pakistani military to be tried under the Pakistan Army Act for being allegedly involved in violent acts and protests that transpired across the country.