Court dismisses VOA staffer's application

JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 25 September 2012

The Sindh High Court ruled against Ayaz Gul, denying his application in a defamation lawsuit initiated by journalist Sardar Khan. The case involves multiple parties linked to allegations made against Gul.
Summary

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) Monday dismissed an application by Ayaz Gul, the Islamabad Bureau Chief of Voice of America (VOA) in a law suit filed by journalist Sardar Khan.

Ayaz, through his application had sought to recall SHC order of October 3, 2011 that barred him from filing the written statement.

Sardar, a former VOA sports reporter filed a defamation case in 2010 against Asif Bajwa (Secretary Pakistan Hockey Federation), Voice of America (VOA-BBG), Ms. Jennifer Janin (Head of Urdu Service VOA), Razi Rizvi and Kokab Farshori, (Managing Editors in Washington) , Pakistan Herald Publications (Dawn Group) along with its employees Rishad Mahmood and Shazia Hasan.

Asif Bajwa, Dawn Group and its employees later filed their written statements when SHC allowed their applications to recall the ex-parte orders against them. Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar heard Barrister Muhammad Farogh Naseem the counsel for Sardar Khan Monday.

After going through the case record, the judge ordered that “since the application of defendant No. 5 (Ayaz Gul) was fixed for orders, neither advocate for defendant No.5 was present nor any intimation was received, thus this application is dismissed for non-prosecution.”

The court set October 11 for hearing all pending applications and settlement of issues.

Sardar, a prominent sports journalist and an ex-employee of VOA is seeking damages to the tune of Rs1380.3 million in this defamation case.

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