KARACHI:The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Tuesday filed a Rs 5 billion defamation suit against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan at the Sindh High Court for issuing statements against MQM chief Altaf Hussain, DawnNews reported.

Talking to media persons at the SHC premises on the occasion of filing the libel suit, MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar said that half an hour after senior PTI leader Zehra Shahid Husain was killed on the eve of re-polls in Karachi's NA-250 constituency, the bed-ridden PTI chief had levelled allegations against Altaf Hussain.

Sattar added at that time that no case had been registered nor had any investigations taken place yet Imran Khan had announced his verdict.

He further said that the PTI chief should tender an apology for levelling baseless allegations against Altaf Hussain.

MQM's Senator Farogh Nasim said that a notice in this regards was sent to PTI chief Imran Khan earlier as well but no reply was received from him.

He further said that the defamation suit was the first step of many more to come.

Addressing journalists in London, Imran Khan had held the British government responsible for the murder of Zehrah Shahid Husain.

He had further said that the British government should restrain its citizens from spreading violence in Pakistan, a reference to the chief of the MQM who also happens to be a British national.

Khan's statement was criticised by MQM leaders and workers.