Daily Mail defamation case: Shehbaz Sharif ordered to pay £30,000 legal cost

LONDON: The United Kingdom (UK) High Court of Justice has directed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to pay the legal cost in the Daily Mail defamation case, ARY News reported on Friday.

The British High Court of Justice ordered Shehbaz Sharif to pay £30,000 legal cost by November 23 in the Daily Mail defamation case. Moreover, Sharif’s son-in-law Ali Imran was also ordered to pay £27,055 legal cost.

Earlier, it was learnt that the British court rejected PM Shehbaz Sharif’s plea for an indefinite adjournment in the Daily Mail defamation case.

According to details, Shehbaz Sharif’s Daily Mail defamation case was heard in the London court by Justice Matthew Nicklin.

READ: INFO MINISTER CLAIMS ‘DAILY MAIL FAILED TO PROVE ALLEGATIONS BEFORE UK COURT’

The court while rejecting Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s request for indefinite adjournment refused to give more time to the applicant.

The lawyers took a position that the prime minister of Pakistan is busy, and more time should be given for the submission of answers, on which Justice Mathew Nicklin remarked that in his court, the prime minister and the common man are equal.

It may be noted that PM Shehbaz Sharif and his son-in-law Ali Imran have not yet been able to respond to the defense of Daily Mail in court. In case, if Shehbaz Sharif fails to respond in the case, he will have to pay the legal expenses to the Daily Mail.

What Daily Mail published?

Reportedly, the British paper has claimed that Shehbaz and his son-in-law’s assets skyrocketed after he ascend to Chief Ministership. Ramzan sugar mill has also been mentioned in the response, the sources say.

“We had asked the Shareef family’s opinion before publishing the story” Daily Mail claims.

READ: SHEHBAZ SUES DAILY MAIL, REPORTER DAVID ROSE OVER EARTHQUAKE FUNDS STORY

According to newspaper officials, David Rose talked to Salman Shehbaz twice, Maryam Aurangzeb and Azam Tarar were also contacted but they did not respond.