ISLAMABAD: Advocate Babar Awan submitted in the district and sessions court on Thursday papers of attorney to represent Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan in the defamation suit filed by former chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

In his Rs20 billion defamation suit, Justice Chaudhry contended that the PTI chief had used slanderous language against him and the judiciary and accused returning officers of committing rigging in the 2013 general elections. “The only grievance of the defendant against the plaintiff is that at his request, the plaintiff did not order to open the ballots of four constituencies,” he said.

Advocate Ahsanduddin Sheikh and other lawyers representing Justice Chaudhry requested District and Sessions Judge Nazir Ahmed Gajana not to accept Mr Awan’s wakalatnama. Calling Mr Awan a biased person, they said he had personal grudge against their client.

Mr Sheikh informed the court that their client in his capacity as chief justice had suspended the licence of Mr Awan in January 2012 for his alleged contemptuous behaviour, disqualifying him from practising in the Supreme Court.

The court adjourned the hearing till Feb 14.

Later, Mr Awan told Dawn that under Article 10-A of the constitution, the PTI chief could engage a lawyer of his own choice.

He pointed out that the defence counsel in the high treason case against former president retired General Pervez Musharraf had challenged the appointment of advocate Akram Sheikh as head of the prosecution team for being biased but the special court did not entertain the objection.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2015

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