Imran Khan Fined for Not Appearing in Court in Defamation Case

Pakistan opposition leader Imran Khan was today fined Rs 50,000 by a court for not recording his statement in a Rs 5 billion defamation case filed against him by Muttahida Qaumi Movement for allegedly making baseless murder charges against its chief.

The Sindh High Court ordered that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party chief must appear in the court with his counsel at the next hearing.

The MQM filed the defamation suit against the cricketer-turned-politician after he alleged that MQM chief Altaf Hussain was responsible for the killing of PTI member Zehra Shahid who was gunned down outside her house in May 2013.

Khan's counsel Musharraf Azhar, who appeared before the court today, was told that the PTI chief had been fined Rs 50,000 and will have to appear in the court at the next hearing.

PTI activist Shahid was killed on the eve of re-polls in Karachi's NA-250 constituency.

The MQM in its defamation suit had demanded that the PTI chief should tender an apology for levelling baseless allegations against Hussain.