Imran Khan files defamation suit against Geo, Umar Farooq in UAE
Former prime minister Imran Khan on Saturday announced that his UAE’s legal team has filed a defamation case against a private news channel Geo News, its prime-time show host Shahzeb Khanzada, and UAE-based dubious figure Umar Farooq Zahoor for leveling corruption allegations against him.
Taking to twitter, PTI chairman said that his UAE lawyers, led by Hassan Shad, had filed criminal defamation (libel and slander) proceedings under United Arab of Emirates (UAE) law against Geo TV, Shahzeb Khanzada, and Umer Farooq Zahoor.
“My UAE lawyers led by Hassan Shad have now filed criminal defamation (libel and slander) proceedings under UAE law against Geo TV, Shahzeb Khanzada and fraudster Umer Farooq Zahoor,” he wrote.
Background:
Umar Farooq Zahoor, a Dubai-based businessman, claimed that Imran Khan’s close aides, Farah Gogi and Shahzad Akbar allegedly sold some of the state gifts to him, including an expensive Graff wrist watch worth at least Rs2 billion gifted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Umar Farooq Zahoor, while giving an interview to Geo News in Shahzeb Khanzada’s program said, that ‘in March 2019, former SAPM on accountability Shahzad Akbar contacted him and said that he has a set of worthy watches. He added that Shahzad Akbar told him to meet Farah Khan (close friend of Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi) during a Dubai visit and look at the unwanted rare gifts she wanted to sell.
He further informed that PTI wanted to sell the watch for $4 to $5 million, but after negotiations, he bought it for $2 million and paid in cash on the insistence of Farah Khan.
In an affidavit, Zahoor said: “I Umar Farooq, S/O late Zahoor Ahmed resident of R/o (Address as Per CNIC) House No D-102/1, Block-4, Clifton Karachi, currently Residing at Muhammad Bin Rashid City, District One, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) do hereby solemnly affirm and declare on oath that I was introduced to Ms Farhat Shahzadi by Mr Shehzad Akbar and bought the following ornaments, jewellery SET 2 by Graff from Ms Farhat Shahzadi having CNIC No 35201-2625741-8 and passport No. BP5147413 for AED Seven Million and Five Hundred Thousand Dirhams (AED 7,500,000) paid as cash”.
Farooq alleged later that he was blackmailed and fake cases of money laundering were registered against him by the FIA on Akbar’s behest after he refused to accept the demands made by his former wife Sophia Mirza.
According to Farooq, he got an appraisal of the gifts done from the company which makes these gifts and came to know that the “real value” of the Graff unique set was USD 12 million.
