LAHORE: Ayesha Ahad, who claims to be the wife of MNA Hamza Shahbaz, has served a Rs200 million legal notice on Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah for defaming her.

Sanaullah on Sunday had used offensive language against Ms Ahad for what he said “making a false claim of her marriage with Hamza” and looking for financial benefits.

Serving the notice through Advocate Ali Zia Bajwa, Ms Ahad demanded Sanaullah to publicly retract his statement and tender an unconditional apology for levelling frivolous and disparaging allegation. She demanded the minister to pay her Rs200m as damages for tarnishing her image, failing which legal proceedings would be pursued against him.

“Sana’s remarks have caused me a mental agnoy and distress,” she said.

Ayesha Ahad also filed an application with Lahore police chief retired Capt Amin Wains seeking registration of an FIR against Sanaullah under Section 509 (Kazaf, a false allegation of fornication) of the Pakistan Penal Code. Ms Ahad had sought Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s help in raising her issue.

“I also want a parliamentary committee probe in my case like that of Ayesha Gulalai,” she said.

Ms Ahad had alleged that Hamza “secretly” contracted marriage with her in 2010, but later “unceremoniously abandoned her”.

“I was tortured by Punjab police for disclosing our marriage. Nawaz Sharif also knew about our marriage,” she said.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2017