The former wife of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Reham, has to issue a public apology for the accusations she leveled at Special Assistant Zulfi Bukhari who won a defamation case against her at the London High Court.
In 2019, Reham published a video on her social media platforms accusing Zulfi Bukhari of corruption. According to her, Zulfi Bukhari carried out a corrupt plan with PM Khan to sell or acquire the Roosevelt Hotel at a low price.
Zulfi sued her for defamation.
Moreover, Zulfi Bukhari won the first round in the defamation case against Reham at the Royal Court of Justice at a trial of preliminary issues. Justice Karen Steyn determined the meaning of the eight publications as the subject of the defamation claim. She also accepted submissions from Zulfi’s lawyer Barrister Claire Overman that her client had been defamed widely.
Zulfi won the case as the accusations proved false. As per the settlement, Reham will pay £50,000 (Rs11.6 million) as a contribution towards Zulfi’s costs and damages. She also agreed to withdraw all allegations and apologise for broadcasting a defamatory video.
She will tweet the apology and clarification in both English and Urdu. The apology will remain pinned to her Twitter account for at least three consecutive days.
In her apology statement, Reham mentioned each allegation against Zulfi and termed them as “false and untrue.”
“I unconditionally apologise to Zulfi Bukhari for the significant distress, upset, and embarrassment which these publications caused him,” she further added.
While complying with the settlement, Reham also released a video reading out her full and unconditional apology to Zulfi, who then shared the video with the headline “Truth always wins!”
“Upon court orders, Reham publicly apologises and pays damages for her lies,” he wrote.
Zulfi expressed the hope that one day Pakistan will have the same law and justice against fake news.
In addition, he also hinted that Commissioner Rawalpindi will face the same fate.
Earlier this year, Zulfi served a defamation notice to Rawalpindi Commissioner Syed Gulzar Hussain Shah over mentioning his name in the Rawalpindi Ring Road Project scam.
