Defamation case: Ex-husband sues wheelchair-bound activist

Defamation case

Islamabad - Khurram Shahzad, a former fighter pilot of Pakistan Air Force, has approached a court against his former wife Muniba Mazari— for “blaming and bashing him for all her afflictions”.

Shahzad has filed a suit against Mazari in the court of additional district and sessions judge Muhammad Adnan on account of her libelous statements which are viral on the internet. The plaintiff has submitted that he belongs to a reputable family and he married Mazari on December 26, 2005, according to Muslim ritual.

He has contended that it was February 27, 2008, while the plaintiff was posted at PAF base Quetta and both were travelling from Quetta to their hometown while he was driving the car, when they reached near Jacobabad suddenly a donkey cart appeared on road and they met an accident in which defendant (Mazari) sustained serious injuries.

He said that despite having the provision of free treatment available at military hospitals, he opted for the best medical facility for his former wife at the Aga Khan Hospital Karachi. Due to the severity of spinal cord injury, unfortunately, she could not be completely recovered rendering her wheelchair-bound for the rest of her life.

“After recovering from this trauma, the plaintiff and defendant were upset because of not having any child. In the opinion of doctors, the defendant could give birth to a baby but it was agreed mutually to go for adoption. In order to strengthen their relation they adopted a baby boy on 12 April 2011 when he was only four days old and looked after him like their own real son,” Shahzad said.

Despite all earnest efforts of the plaintiff, unfortunately, the defendant started activities which he could not allow her.

The petitioner said that she started visiting foreigners in diplomatic enclaves and embassies with her brothers, whom the plaintiff had given shelter in service accommodation. Similarly, she developed an interest in modeling, which was against moral, religious and social values and against the customs of plaintiff’s family.

“Being an esteemed officer of the defence forces, the plaintiff could not allow the defendant to continue such practices and eventually tried to stop her. The defendant instead of stopping, with her free will and choice left the house of plaintiff in September 2014 along with the minor adopted son,” he said.

He said that on March 6, 2015, she filed a suit for dissolution of marriage on the basis of Khulla. The plaintiff did not want to dissolve the marriage but she obtained Khulla from the court of Humaira Afzal of Islamabad and the suit was decree on June 12, 2015.

He said that nowadays, defendant has become a popular artist, and during her media shows on different forums she talked wrongly about him and defamed him on different forums.

Although, she herself asked for Khulla and by saying contradictory words now she has publicly has defamed and degraded the plaintiff. These contradictory statements are concealing the facts and the misleading public at large and have been very painful for plaintiff as well as his family. He has prayed to the court that a decree for the recovery of damages of Rs1,00,00,000 on account of libelous and baseless statements of the defendant against the plaintiff may be decreed in favour of the plaintiff.

 

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