LARKANA, May 30: The third senior civil judge has issued notices to Riaz Phulpoto, estate manager of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto, and a local People’s Party Parliamentarians leader Nisar Ahmed Bhutto, to appear in court on June 13 to face charges levelled against them in a suit for damages filed by Mumtaz Ali Bhutto and his son, Amir Bakhsh Bhutto.

The father and son who are chairman and senior vice-chairman of the Sindh National Front (SNF), respectively, field the suit on Tuesday after expiry of a legal notice issued in response to a non-cognisable (NC) report filed by Riaz Phulpoto and Nisar Ahmed Bhutto against the SNF leaders at Naudero police station on March 8.

They said in the NC that a case should be lodged against the father and the son if and when any physical or financial harm came to them or any member of their family.

The SNF leaders had sent legal notices to the defendants on March 14, asking them not only to withdraw the NC but also tender unconditional and unequivocal apology within 15 days.

The Bhuttos said in their suit that the NC was registered with mala fide intentions to harm their reputation, status and public image and it was sufficient to lower their prestige in the eyes of friends, relatives and general public. It also caused them mental anguish, they said.

The petitioners prayed the court to declare that the defendants were liable to pay them damages of Rs4 million.

The court would hear the case on June 13.