In a fresh exchange of allegations between ruling party’s estranged leader Justice (R) Wajihuddin Ahmed and Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, the government Thursday announced to file a libel suit against Wajihuddin Ahmed for alleging that Jahangir Tareen used to provide up to Rs5 million to run Prime Minister Imran Khan’s house.
However, the former judge stood his ground, saying that he had spoken the truth and vowed to fight the legal battle.
Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry Thursday said that if PM Imran had given any value to money, he would have been a “billionaire” after his divorce from Jemima Goldsmith, as in Britain courts see marriage as a partnership and demand assets of that partnership be shared equally.
The minister, while addressing a media conference on Thursday stated that PM Imran Khan’s reputation has been maligned repeatedly and baseless allegations have been made to defame him.
He further stated that the PM does not spend Rs500,000 monthly like others and exhaust Pakistan’s assets.
The minister went on to add that when Pakistan had beaten India on its soil, PM Imran was the captain. Players were given plots, but the PM dedicated all the money to the Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital.
Information minister, Fawad Chaudhry in this regard stated that notices will also be served to TV channels that ran the news without verification.
It is pertinent to note that Ahmed, who had resigned from the PTI five years ago, had claimed that Tareen used to bear the household expenses of PM Imran. However, Ahmed failed to offer any proof to back up his claim.
“This belief is entirely false that Imran Khan is a [financially] honest man,” Ahmed had said. “His condition is such that he hasn’t been running his household himself for years.”
He went on to add that while he had done “whatever was in my capacity to help PTI in the quest to build a new Pakistan”, he “never gave a penny for the household expenses of Bani Gala” — a reference to the PM’s residence in Islamabad.
Chaudhry acknowledged Tareen’s timely clarification, and stated that Tareen proved that “he is a gentleman.”
The information minister further said the media freedom is being used for specific campaigns to “weaken the system,” while adding that “the way prime minister was targeted is condemnable”
Fawad further appealed to the chief justice of Pakistan and the chief justices of all high courts to ensure that the respect of institutions must be upheld.
“Why our judicial system is failing to protect an individual’s dignity, especially when the prime minister becomes a victim of propaganda,” he asked.
He suggested that chief justices in provinces must form special division benches at district and high court levels to deal specifically with such cases.
Chaudhry further added that PM Imran Khan’s monthly income figures have always been misreported by TV channels.
“We see that maligning anyone is not an issue anymore and the big reason for it is that defamation cases in courts are not being taken seriously,” he explained.
He further said that the government planned to have the Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority bill approved from relevant bodies to streamline local media, which was being “used to run specific campaigns to target the system of the country”.
Chaudhry went on to accuse broadcast media of running campaigns against army generals and judiciary representatives on a daily basis. “The same channels face fines abroad but in Pakistan, there is no law, let alone its implementation.”
“If we don’t introduce tough laws then the system will keep on getting weakened due to fake news,” the minister concluded.
I have spoken nothing but the truth, says Wajihuddin Ahmed
Following Fawad Chaudhry’s announcement, Justice (retd) Wajihuddin Ahmed as a response, stated “I have spoken nothing but the truth.”
Speaking during an event in Karachi, Justice (R) Wajihuddin said that if anyone’s rights have been violated, “then they should file a defamation suit themselves.”
Justice (R) Wajihuddin further said that there is nothing wrong with Jahangir Tareen’s relations with Imran Khan.
“Jahangir Tareen has denied my statement. What else was expected of him?” he asked. “Why would he accept money that had been spent illegally? Tareen made a billion dollars in sugar mill cases.”
It is pertinent to note that two days earlier, Wajihuddin claimed that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s monthly household expenses were borne by now-estranged PTI leader Jahangir Tareen before the premiere had taken office.
Wajihuddin further revealed that Tareen initially gave funds worth Rs3 million per month for now-Prime Minister Imran Khan’s household expenses, which was later increased to Rs5 million per month.
He went on to add that the perception about Imran Khan being an honest man is “completely wrong”.
“The man who doesn’t even pay for his shoelaces, how can you call that man honest?” Wajihuddin argued.
