Imran withdraws reply in former CJP defamation notice: Hamid Khan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has withdrawn his reply to the defamation notice filed by former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, his lawyer Hamid Khan told reporters on Wednesday.

Hamid Khan said the reply had been withdrawn on the directives of Imran Khan. The lawyer for the former CJP said according to the law and judgments of the higher judiciary a reply in a defamation notice cannot be withdrawn.

In his reply to the defamation notice by the former CJP Iftikhar Muhammad Chuadhry, Imran Khan said whatever he had said was the expression of frustration as he recognised the services rendered by the former CJP for the rule of law and hoped that Iftikhar Chaudhry will excuse him.

In his reply, Imran Khan said he saluted the historic verdicts handed down by ex-CJ Iftikhar Chaudhry. He said that he committed a mistake in the choice of words and hoped that Iftikhar Chaudhry would pardon him.

But soon after submitting the apology, Imran said he stood by his statement on the role of the former chief justice and the returning officers in rigging the elections.Hamid Khan and Ahmad Owais — counsels for Imran Khan — said in a six-page reply filed in the court, that as the former CJ had given notice personally, therefore, he was being addressed personally.

“We acknowledge the services rendered by former CJ Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry for the rule of law. The whole nation is convinced of the courage shown by him in staying dauntless and unwavering before a dictator. The decision given by him on July, 31 against ultra-constitutional moves is appreciable. We salute his patience, fortitude and tolerance,” it was said in the reply. “You are a non-political leader of the nation, people have pinned high hopes on your leadership but your decision on electoral reforms was not implemented so much so that election petitions are not disposed of in time. These are delayed so much that the next elections come,” the reply stated.

About Iftikhar Chaudhry’s address to returning officers, it was said in the reply, “your address to returning officers gave an impression that perhaps a free hand has been given to ROs and this impression was strengthened when ROs were admired by the other chief justices. Maybe we have committed a mistake in making a choice of words. We hope you will excuse us. Maybe your address to ROs was aimed at making the elections fair and transparent.”

But the PTI chief in a message on the micro-blogging website Twitter said: “I stand by all my statements about ex-CJ Iftikhar Chaudhry, the ROs and all those involved in May 2013 electoral rigging.”“Courage is grace under pressure - msg (message) for all my tigers and tigresses esp (especially) for these days,” he said in another tweet.