umair ahmed
MPA (400+ posts)
LAHORE: Despite repeated pledges to take legal action against the former president of Mehran Bank Younis Habib on defamation charges, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif are reluctant to proceed against the banker who had deposed before the Supreme Court that the two brothers were also amongst the anti-PPP politicians who were dished out money by the ISI before the 1990 elections.
Although, the PML-N had refuted Younis Habib’s March 8, 2012 deposition before the apex court chief justice as a pack of lies, the former Army chief General Aslam Beg and former ISI chief Lt. Gen Asad Durrani had confirmed in their respective affidavits that Nawaz Sharif was amongst the recipients of the funds which were arranged by Younis Habib and distributed by the ISI under President Ghulam Ishaq’s orders.
According to Younis Habib, he had himself handed over Rs3.5 million to Nawaz Sharif at his Lahore residence while Rs2.5 million were later sent to Shahbaz Sharif through Telegraphic Transfer (which was made by one Asif Jamshed).
The PML-N had reacted sharply at that time and strongly refuted Younis Habib’s claims. While Pervez Rasheed described the former banker as a tool of President Asif Ali Zardari, Nawaz Sharif claimed at a press conference in London that he had never met Younis Habib. On his part, Shahbaz Sharif addressed a press conference in Lahore on March 15, 2012, saying his family was about to file a defamation suit against the banker and a panel of lawyers had been formed to prepare the case.
Twenty-five days after his press conference, on April 10, 2012, the Sharif brothers finally sent legal notices to Younis Habib on defamation charges, worth Rs10 billion each. Sent on behalf of Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, the legal notices stated: “Younis Habib has levelled fabricated and unsubstantiated allegations to defame the political and social standing of Mian Nawaz Sharif and Mian Shahbaz Sharif.”
Served through Cornelius, Lane and Mufti Advocates and Solicitors, the notices stated: “The Sharifs are respectable and highly revered citizens of the country — the former has served twice as prime minister of the country while the latter has twice been the chief minister Punjab. Younis Habib has tried to conduct a media trial of Nawaz and Shahbaz by levelling false and slanderous allegations”, the notices added.
The Sharifs’ lawyers then sought a formal apology from Younis Habib, in print and electronic media, within 14 days of the receipt of the legal notices or else legal proceedings were to be initiated against him, seeking damages of Rs20 billion on behalf of Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif.
However, the very next day (on April 11, 2012), Younis Habib responded to the notices, saying he stands by whatever he has stated about the Sharif brothers in the apex court. At a press conference in Islamabad, Sheikh Azfar Ameen, the counsel for Younis Habib, said that his client would not be afraid of the threats and notices from Sharif brothers. “My client won’t apologise to anyone and he is ready to prove each and every word of his statement about the Sharifs once they sue him,” he added.
Following Younis Habib’s refusal to apologise to the Sharif brothers, the likely course of action for their lawyers was to file a civil suit of damages against the banker in the court of law for defaming their clients. But since no such civil suit has been filed so far by the lawyers of the Sharif brothers, Younis Habib’s attorney Sheikh Azfar Ameen maintains that it amounts to the admission of guilt on the part of Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif.
On the other hand, when approached for comments, PML-N spokesman Senator Pervez Rasheed said the Sharif brothers were adamant to file a civil suit against Younis Habib but their lawyers had decided to defer the same for the time being as the Mehran Bank money distribution case was being heard by the Supreme Court of Pakistan at that time. Even otherwise, he added, our lawyers were of the view that Younis Habib has failed to furnish any evidence in the apex court to prove his allegations.
Asked if the Sharif brothers would file the civil suit against Younis Habib in the wake of the apex court orders that the alleged recipients of the ISI funds should be investigated by the FIA, Pervez Rasheed said: “Let me make it clear that there is no mention of either Nawaz Sharif or Shahbaz Sharif in the short order of the Supreme Court in the Mehran Bank case. Our lawyers are now waiting for the Supreme Court to release its detailed verdict in the case which is expected after the Eid holidays. A civil suit of damages will definitely be filed against Younis Habib as soon as the detailed verdict comes out.
http://e.jang.com.pk/10-22-2012/karachi/pic.asp?picname=1027.gif
http://images.thenews.com.pk/22-10-2012/ethenews/t-18332.htm
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