ISLAMABAD: A local court on Saturday rejected a legal suit filed by former chief justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry against PTI founder Imran Khan.

Chaudhry was seeking Rs20 billion damages from Mr Khan for damaging his repute by accusing the judiciary of being part of alleged rigging in 2013 general elections and using derogatory words against him in June 2014. The suit was filed in January 2015.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Haseena Saqlain held that the defamation suit was not filed within the stipulated timeframe as provided in the law.

She pointed out that under the law Chaudhry was required to file the defamation suit within six months of the occurrence. The court subsequently dismissed the suit.

Chaudhry stated in the legal suit that the rigging allegations levelled against him were false. He also recounted how in a written response to the previous libel notice issued on July 24, 2013, Imran Khan’s lawyers had said he did not mean to “abuse or disrespect any member of the judiciary” and had urged the former chief justice to “reconsider the idea of entering into personal litigation”.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2024