ISLAMABAD: While Prime Minister Imran Khan decided on Thursday to file a complaint against an additional session judge in Islamabad for “going beyond his mandate” in passing a judgement apparently favouring media personality Mohsin Jamil Baig, Communications Minister Murad Saeed vowed to sue Mr Khan’s former wife, Reham Khan, for mentioning “illicit” relations between him and the prime minister in her book.

Mr Baig was arrested earlier this week in a raid conducted by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on an application filed by Mr Saeed after the former made “unethical” remarks about the minister in a television programme.

The prime minister believed that the FIA raid at the residence of Mohsin Baig, editor-in-chief of daily Jinnah and Online News Agency, on Wednesday morning was “justified and according to the law”, but the accused took the law into his own hands and attack the raiding party.

Advocate General Niazullah Niazi told Dawn after a meeting with Mr Khan on Thursday: “The prime minister has directed me to file a petition/reference against Additional Session Judge Islamabad Zafar Iqbal for giving judgement beyond his mandate before Islamabad High Court chief justice [Athar Minallah].”

According to Mr Niazi, the additional judge’s order was “biased” as he was to give his decision only about the petition regarding illegal detention of the accused.

The additional judge declared the raid at the house of the editor as “illegal” and asked Islamabad’s inspector general of police to take action against the station house officer of Margalla police station and that an FIR should be lodged if any application was submitted by any family member of Mohsin Baig.

The advocate general said the prime minister was of the view that no one was above the law and the state would not show any weakness if anybody, irrespective of his status, took law into his own hands.

Murad to act against Reham

Earlier, Communications Minister Murad Saeed at a press conference vowed to take legal action against Imran Khan’s ex-wife Reham Khan for “disgracing him and the PM” in her book launched in July 2018.

Ms Reham, who married Imran Khan in 2015, lived with him for less than two years and got divorce in November 2016.

“I have decided to take legal course of action [against her] and my legal team is sitting to decide how to proceed,” Mr Saeed told reporters without naming Reham Khan.

Asked why he did not take action against the person (Reham Khan) whose book is used as a reference to malign him and the prime minister, he said a legal action would shortly be taken against her. Responding to a question about “harsh” treatment of the FIA team with Mohsin Baig, the minister said he had chosen a legal way to file an application against the editor but he was not responsible for the way the FIA took action.

However, some senior police officials reportedly told mediapersons on Thursday that they were being pressurised by the Prime Minister Office to take stern action against Mr Baig.

Murad Saeed also clarified that in his complaint he had only referred to the television show during which the remarks were made and requested for legal action.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2022