Shakil Shaikh seeks apology, Rs10m in damages from DawnNews journalist

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 5 February 2019 |  JP Staff Report

Shakil Shaikh, President of the Regional Cricket Association in Islamabad, has served a legal notice to journalist Raja Mohsin Ijaz. The notice demands an apology and Rs10 million in damages for allegedly defaming Shaikh in a tweet.

Summary

ISLAMABAD – Shakil Shaikh, President of the Regional Cricket Association Islamabad, has served a legal notice on Raja Mohsin Ijaz, a DawnNews TV journalist and media manager of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), over alleged defamatory content posted on social media.

The notice demands Rs10 million in damages and an unconditional apology to be issued within 14 days, failing which legal proceedings may be initiated, according to the document.

Legal notice cites alleged defamatory tweet

According to the notice served through Barrister Masroor Shah, Ijaz allegedly used his X account @rajamohsinijaz to publish what Shaikh’s legal team describes as “malicious allegations” made through innuendo.

The notice further states that the tweet included a group photograph showing a delegation from Islamabad’s cricket club and stakeholders during a meeting with the Minister of State for Interior. It claims that Shaikh, who was present in the image, was specifically highlighted by being circled in red, alongside the posted commentary.

The legal document argues that the tweet was misleading and damaging, suggesting that it created a false impression about Shaikh’s conduct and professional standing. It maintains that the post has caused “grave injury” to his reputation.

The dispute centers on a social media post and an image

The notice emphasizes that the combination of text and imagery used in the tweet allegedly misrepresented the context of the meeting and improperly targeted Shaikh. It contends that such public posts can have lasting reputational consequences, particularly when shared widely on digital platforms.

It also states that the allegations made in the tweet were baseless and intended to harm Shaikh’s credibility in both professional and public circles.

Background of the complainant

Shakil Shaikh is also a senior journalist and has previously served as chief reporter at The News for several years. He currently heads the Regional Cricket Association Islamabad, where he is involved in administrative and organizational matters related to regional cricket.

The legal notice, issued through Barrister Masroor Shah, has formally called on Ijaz to retract the statements and issue a public apology within the stipulated 14-day period.

PHOTO: X (@shakilsh58)