ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa minister, Taimur Saleem Khan Jhagra, has initiated a defamation lawsuit against ex-PTI member Sher Afzal Marwat, seeking Rs1 billion in damages over alleged false accusations.
Issued through his legal counsel, the notice challenges Marwat’s claims aired on television, which accused Jhagra of financial misconduct.
As per the legal notice, Marwat alleged in two televised talk shows on March 11, 2025, that Jhagra had misappropriated Rs36 billion from the pension fund. Additionally, Marwat claimed that Jhagra had acquired high-value properties in Hayatabad and Islamabad using illicit means.
Jhagra’s lawyer, Advocate Ali Gohar Durrani, condemned the allegations as unfounded, malicious, and defamatory, asserting that they were solely aimed at tarnishing Jhagra’s professional and personal reputation. The notice categorically rejects these claims, stating they are baseless and in violation of Pakistan’s Defamation Ordinance, 2002.
The notice demands that Marwat immediately halt further defamatory remarks, publicly retract his statements, issue an apology via television and social media, and pay Rs1 billion in damages. Failure to comply within 14 days, it warns, will lead to legal action through civil and criminal proceedings.
Jhagra, responding to the lawsuit, took to social media with a firm message: “See you in court, Marwat. No running away now.” His legal counsel, Durrani, also confirmed on X that the defamation notice had been formally served. Marwat has yet to issue a response.
The legal battle follows Marwat’s recent expulsion from PTI. Last month, PTI founder and incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan ordered his removal from the party, citing repeated violations of party discipline.
Marwat’s expulsion stemmed from remarks made at a rally in Swabi, where he criticized alleged election rigging and controversially stated that “bad people” like him had helped the party in difficult times, while the “good people” had remained silent.
Expressing displeasure over Marwat’s statements, Khan directed the PTI leadership to terminate his membership immediately.
Marwat, known for his frequent clashes with PTI’s leadership, defended himself by stating that his dedication to the party had been overlooked. He claimed that his stance was never given a fair hearing before his expulsion.
Recently, he further courted controversy by accusing PTI’s overseas supporters of prioritizing personal financial interests over the party’s political cause. Marwat alleged that many of PTI’s international backers were more focused on securing donations and profitable engagements rather than advancing the party’s movement.
