Imran Khan issues a Rs10 billion defamation notice against the health minister in response to a contentious presser.

ISLAMABAD – Imran Khan, the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), issued a defamation notice to Federal Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel on Tuesday for saying that traces of alcohol and cocaine were detected in the latter’s urine tests.

Under the Defamation Ordinance, 2002, the former premier has issued a legal notice to Imran Khan through his lawyer Abuzar Salman Khan Niazi for “dissemination and circulation of wrongful, baseless, false, misleading, erroneous, malicious, and defamatory information” during the minister’s May 26 press conference.

It said that Mr Patel falsely claimed that the PTI chief’s medical tests revealed traces of alcohol and cocaine in his urine sample and that Imran Khan’s “mental stability” was “questionable.”

One of the points posed in the notice is, “How can alcohol and cocaine consumption be traced through a urine test?” It further emphasised that no details of the former prime minister’s entire trauma evaluation were provided.

“The report places a strong emphasis on our client [Imran Khan’s] mental state; however, no details of the mental state examination have been provided,” it said.

The minister made the statements “knowingly, consciously, willingly, deliberately, and maliciously,” according to the notice, “which is highly irrational and negates the principles of ethics and morals.” Derogatory words, it continued, were “also in violation of the standards and ethics that members of [the] Federal Cabinet must possess and display.”

According to the notification, Mr Patel was “responsible and liable for the defamatory circulation and dissemination” that resulted in “a loss” of the PTI chief’s “goodwill, injury to his reputation, and adversely affected his honour.” “You have also caused our client emotional trauma, mental agony, anguish, and distress,” the notification said.

Mr Khan has requested that the minister rescind his remarks and provide an unqualified apology, as well as acknowledging that he made a mistake.

It further demanded that the minister pay “Rs 10 billion for defaming…and levelling false allegations” against the PTI chairman, adding that the funds will be “donated to Shaukat Khanam Memorial Cancer Hospital” for patient care.

The minister has been threatened with additional legal action if the requests are not met within 15 days.