Solar business allegations: Suleman serves Rs1bn defamation notice on Imran Ismail

ISLAMABAD: Suleman Shehbaz, the son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has served a defamation notice worth Rs1 billion to PTI leader Imran Ismail for alleging that he owned a solar panel business and was taking undue benefits from the government.

Suleman’s legal team claimed that the former Sindh governor’s claims were far from the truth and that their client did not own a company that sells solar panels,” the notice read, Geo News reported.

In his tweets on July 3, Ismail had alleged that PM Shehbaz had signed solar energy contracts with Ankara, which would benefit Suleman. The notice asked Ismail to remove the defamatory tweets; post a tweet publicly apologising to Suleman; issue a written apology to Suleman; abstain from further baseless allegations; pay a sum of Rs1 billion for loss and damages to Suleman. He warned legal action will be taken against the former governor if tweets were not withdrawn in 14 days.

In response, Ismail asked in what capacity the PM’s son had sent him the notice. “The person who is a fugitive has sent me a notice. I stand by my claim of solar panels.”