PPP files defamation case against businessman, Indian publisher

Islamabad, Feb 4: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has filed a Pakistani Rs.2 billion (about $20,000) defamation suit against an Indian publisher and a business tycoon for levelling a series of allegations against former president Asif Ali Zardari.

As per media reports, Sadruddin Hashwani, a Karachi-based illustrious businessman, accused in his biography that the former president was involved in the 2008 bombing at Marriott Hotel in Islamabad that killed over 50 people.

The book has recently been published by Indian publisher Penguin Books.

"We have filed the defamation case against Hashwani in Sindh High Court (SHC) after he failed to respond to our 15 days notice," the PPP co-chairman's lawyer and the party's leader Senator Farooq Naek was quoted saying at a joint press conference.

In his biography "Truth Always Prevails", Hashwani also alleged that Zardari wanted to grab some of his properties.

On Dec 16, Zardari served a legal notice of Pakistani Rs. 2 billion on Hashwani, Penguin Books and Liberty Books in Karachi.

Naek said the local book-seller had tendered an apology and informed the PPP that it was no more selling the book, but Hashwani and publisher Penguin Books did not respond to the legal notice.

He said the first hearing of the case would be held in the SHC Feb 6.

IANS