The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday set aside an order of Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Mohammad Adnan and issued a notice to Prime Minister Imran Khan seeking his response in a defamation case against Khawaja Asif over the PML-N leader’s allegations about misappropriation of funds of Shaukat Khanam Memorial Trust (SKMT). The premier had
filed the defamation suit against Asif in 2012 for recovery of Rs10 billion as the latter had at a press conference levelled allegations about misappropriation of and money laundering through the SKMT funds.
In Dec 2021, the prime minister, while recording his statement before the digitally connected court, which was presided over by the ADSJ, said he was the biggest individual donor of the SKMT from 1991 to 2009 and the investments, against which allegations had been made, were fully recovered by the SKMT without any loss.
The legality of the statement was challenged by the PML-N leader in the IHC.
