Saad Rafique serves Rs5 bln defamation notice to Fawad Chaudhry

LAHORE: Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique on Sunday issued a defamation notice of Rs5 billion to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) information secretary Fawad Chaudhry for levelling baseless allegations against him.

In a tweet after dispatching the notice, the railway minister asked Chaudhry to either make unconditional apology or face court proceedings.

فواد چودھری ! اپنے الزامات ثابت کرو یا معافی مانگو۔ یا عدالت میں ھتک عزت کے دعویٰ کا سامناکرو۔
آئینِ پاکستان ہر شخص کو اپنی عزت اور ساکھ کی حفاظت کی ضمانت دیتا ہے کسی شخص کو حق نہیں کہ قانونی وجہ کے بغیر کسی کے بارے ہتک آمیز بیانات دے۔

— Khawaja Saad Rafique (@KhSaad_Rafique) February 25, 2018

The notice has been served on Chaudhry’s comments about Rafique with regard to his alleged ownership of Paragon Housing Society.

The PTI leader had commented on the matter in press conference on February 22.

The notice asserts that every citizen has been granted this right to protect their dignity under the constitution of country.

Seeking a public apology, the ruling party’s minister warned to initiate legal proceedings against Chaudhry if he failed to do as stated.

The matter of Paragon Housing Society has been raised at a time when National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is investing a mega corruption scam, Ashiana Housing Scheme.

Presently, the anti-corruption watchdog has arrested two accused in connection with their involvements in the scam. Former Director General (DG) Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Ahad Cheema is under physical remand of NAB.

Earlier today, the NAB produced Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bismillah Engineering Services Shahid Shafiq before a district court under stringent security measures today (Sunday), where the judicial magistrate granted a one-day physical remand of Shafiq to the anti-corruption watchdog.

According to NAB officials, Shafiq’s company was part of Lahore Caca Developers, a joint venture, which has been declared ineligible to receive contract.

The Bureaucracy of Punjab has been expressing its concerns over arrest of the former LDA officer Ahad Cheema.