PTI Chairman Imran Khan has taken
legal action against Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel by sending a Rs10
billion defamation notice. This action comes after Patel's press conference
where he made various claims, including questioning the mental stability of the
former prime minister.
In the previous week, the
government had released confidential medical reports related to Imran Khan's
tests conducted during his custody earlier this month. The reports stated that
there were no fractures on his legs but found traces of alcohol and an illegal
drug in his urine sample.
Abdul Qadir Patel shared these
details during a press conference in Karachi, claiming that the medical report
was a public document and did not require permission for its release. However,
politicians and analysts quickly pointed out inconsistencies within the report.
While it stated that Imran's "mental stability is questionable," it
also declared his higher mental function as "intact" and deemed him
"fit" for detention by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
The defamation notice served to
Patel under Section 8 of the Defamation Ordinance, 2002 accuses him of
circulating wrongful, false, misleading, and defamatory information during his
press conference on May 26. The notice highlights the wide viewership of the
press conference through electronic media channels, YouTube, social media
platforms, and its coverage in national and international newspapers.
Imran's notice mentioned that he
had sustained a head injury on the day of his "illegal arrest" on May
9, which was not mentioned in the medical report shared by the minister. It
also noted that while the report emphasized Imran's mental state, it did not
provide any details of an examination conducted in that regard.
The notice asserts that Patel
made these remarks knowingly, consciously, willingly, deliberately, and
maliciously, and violated the standards and ethics expected of a member of the
federal cabinet. It states that Patel's defamatory claims have damaged Imran's
goodwill, reputation, and honor, causing emotional trauma, mental agony,
anguish, and distress.
The notice demands Patel to
retract his statements, apologize unconditionally, admit to misstatements, and
pay Rs10 billion as compensation. The amount would be donated to the Shaukat
Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre. Furthermore, Patel is
urged to refrain from making further defamatory comments.
If the minister fails to comply
with these demands within 15 days, Imran Khan's notice states that legal
proceedings will be initiated.
Patel's statements regarding Imran's health
During the press conference held
last week, the health minister dismissed concerns raised about the moral and
ethical aspects of disclosing someone's health records. He also mentioned that
further information regarding Imran's health would be shared once a detailed
report was available.
According to Patel, the sequence
of events began on May 9 when Imran's urine sample was collected at a NAB
office shortly after his arrest in a corruption case. He asserted that a
medical board consisting of five senior officials from Polyclinic and Pakistan
Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) thoroughly examined Imran.
Citing from the medical fitness
report, the only one made public, the health minister stated that during the
examination, Imran appeared to be under stress and exhibited symptoms of anxiety.
The report indicated that Imran was angry about recent events and had limited
understanding of the gravity of the current situation, raising concerns about
his mental stability.
However, it is worth noting that
the report's actual findings contradicted these remarks, as it showed normal
results for almost all tangible indicators. Patel then referred to an
"initial" urine test report, suggesting the presence of drugs and
alcohol, but he was unsure about the specific consumption ratios. Nonetheless,
he maintained the validity of the findings and stated that a comprehensive
report would be shared with the media once it was finalized.
Regarding legal action against
Imran based on these findings, the minister mentioned that once the substance
ratios were confirmed and reported, the government would approach the police.
The police would then guide the government on the relevant sections of the
Pakistan Penal Code under which the PTI chief could be charged.
Regarding the alleged leg
fracture, Patel informed that the team of doctors found no injury that required
a months-long plaster. He reminded that in November, Imran had sustained bullet
injuries to his leg during an assassination attempt in Wazirabad.
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