A local court in Islamabad adjourned on Saturday the hearing of former prime minister Imran Khan’s defamation case against Defence Minister Khawaja Asif till March 18 on the request of the PTI chief. Judge Umeed Baloch heard the Rs10 billion defamation case filed by Imran Khan against Kh Asif for levelling allegations against him regarding misuse of Shaukat Khanum Hospital funds. The judge put off the case without holding any proceedings today till March 18 on the request of Imran Khan. During previous hearing, the cross-examination of the PTI chief was completed. The former premier had also requested the court to announce an early verdict in the case.

Imran Khan admitted before the court that an amount invested abroad by the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust (SKMT) had not been returned to the trust’s account when he filed a defamation suit against PML-N leader Khawaja Asif in 2012. In response to a question whether he knew the investment was made through two offshore companies, Imran Khan replied that he was not aware of decisions taken by the SKMT board. He, however, said he had received the information through an audit report. He denied any loss incurred due to the investment and said that the funds were invested in the “larger interest of the hospital”.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP