ISLAMABAD, Nov 21: Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Senator Ishaq Dar has served a legal notice on PPP's Punjab president Imtiaz Safdar Warraich and former MNA Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed for defaming him through allegations that the former IT consultant of the Punjab education department currently facing an inquiry into irregularities in exam results is his nephew.

Through the separate notices, copies of which are available with Dawn, Senator Dar has asked the two PPP leaders “to tender an unqualified withdrawal of the allegations and a public apology” to him within 14 days of the receipt of the notices.

Highlighting the bad governance in Punjab at a news conference on Nov 10, the two PPP leaders alleged that Dr Majid Naeem had been appointed on political grounds because he was a nephew of Ishaq Dar.

The notice, served through lawyer Ashtar Ali Ausaf, says: “If you (PPP leaders) are prepared to retract the allegations and to apologise, our client acknowledges that this will mitigate the damages to which he is entitled.

“If, however, you force him to go through a long drawn-out legal action in order to clear his name his only vindication will be an award of very substantial damages from a court of law. But kindly be advised the proposed action will not be limited to civil damages. Commensurate with the nature of the allegations made, our client may also press criminal charges against you at your cost and risk.

“The comments from PPP leaders have come at a time when the sensitivities of the public are heightened to the issue at hand, and the consequences have the potential to be severe. The allegation is part of a concerted effort to vilify our client, and amounts to defamation.”

Soon after the PPP leaders' news conference, a PML-N spokesman had rejected the allegation and termed it a campaign to malign the character of the senator. He said if Chaudhry Manzoor had any proof supporting his claim he should provide it to the media and public at large.