Former president and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has sent a Rs10 billion legal notice to former prime minister Imran Khan for accusing him of plotting to assassinate the PTI chairman, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The legal notice sent by Asif Zardari to Imran Khan reads: “The statements made by you [Khan] have caused great harm and hurt to the sentiments of the members of Pakistan Peoples Party which are not only in Pakistan but all over the world thereby damaging and defaming their reputation.”

The notice asserts that the PTI chief through his "baseless accusations" tried to create a link between Zardari and terrorist organisations "blindly disregarding the fact that our client and his party has remained the victim of terrorism". 

The notice also implies that the PTI chief through his "defamatory actions" caused "severe agony, mental stress and loss of reputation" to the PP co-chairperson.

The legal notice further says: "You are, therefore, hereby called upon to render unconditional apology from our client, on television, print and social media, within 14 (fourteen) days from the receipt of this notice, failing whereof, our client shall be constrained to institute appropriate legal proceedings against you, civil as well as criminal, before the competent Courts of law and forums of Pakistan as well as of England, including but not limited to Suit for Damages for Rs.10,000,000,000/- (Rupees ten billion Only) at your risk as to cost and consequences."

In a statement on Friday last (January 27), Imran Khan had claimed that PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari was behind a new plot to assassinate him for which the former president had given money to a terrorist group. He further said the plot was knitted to target him as soon as he was ousted from power.

In their response the very next day, belligerent PPP leaders had declared that the party will send a legal notice to Imran Khan for levelling baseless allegations against Zardari. 

Senior PPP leaders Nayyar Bukhari, Farhatullah Babar and Qamar Zaman Kaira blasted the PTI chairman over the accusations, saying Imran Khan had lost its mind.

The PPP leaders maintained that the PTI chairman had made such bizarre claims just to keep himself relevant in politics, saying this time the allegations would not go unanswered. They said they will send a legal notice to the PTI leader asking him to withdraw his statement.

https://twitter.com/MediaCellPPP/status/1619248280675782657

Nayyar Bukhari had said “We will send a legal notice demanding Imran Khan to retract his accusations. If he doesn’t, then the PPP has the right to approach the courts for civil and criminal proceedings.”

Sherry Rehman condemns allegations

Senior PPP leader and Federal Climate Minister Sherry Rehman has condemned baseless allegations levelled by Imran Khan against Asif Ali Zardari.

In a string of tweets uploaded on Monday, Sherry Rehman said “People's Party fans, officials and workers have expressed their anger over Imran Khan's false and fabricated accusation against Asif Ali Zardari. PPP intends to take legal action against Imran Khan. Such allegations will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”

Reporter Mohsinul Mulk