PESHAWAR, Oct 18: Mohammad Khursheed Khan, a senior advocate known for promoting inter-faith harmony by polishing shoes of worshippers at different temples in India and Pakistan, has filed a defamation suit in the court of district judge against Supreme Court Bar Association president Yaseen Azad for issuing him a notice.

The plaintiff stated that in the notice issued to him in July 2012 Mr Azad had alleged that owing to the act of polishing shoes, sweeping floors and washing dishes outside the worship places of non-Muslim in India, he had defamed Pakistan and acted against the cause of the country.

In the suit, filed through Advocate Abdur Rauf Rohaila, Mr Khan has prayed the court to grant decree in his favour to the tune of Rs100 million.

In 2010, Mr Khan started community service (seva) at Sikh temples in Peshawar and other cities as a mark of solidarity with the Sikh community because one of their members was killed by militants.

Later on, he visited India in March 2012 along with a delegation of Supreme Court Bar Association. He also did community service there at Golden Temple and other worship places and was given wide coverage by Indian media. The delegation of around 200 lawyers was headed by Mr Azad.

Mr Khan said that the defendant had no concern with his act of polishing shoes outside the worship places of non-Muslims in India as much as all those activities were carried out by him to be pardoned of the sins he might have committed in his life. He said that he had shown that Muslims, Pakistanis and Pakhtuns were peace-loving people and had respect for every human being.

He stated that Mr Azad had illegally and unlawfully targeted and blamed him for which he had no authority as a president of SCBA. — Bureau Report