PESHAWAR: Former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Minister Taimur Saleem Khan Jhagra has filed a Rs1 billion defamation lawsuit against senior politician Sher Afzal Marwat in the Peshawar Sessions Court, News reported.

According to Taimur Jhagra’s legal stance, Sher Afzal Marwat made baseless allegations against him during a televised talk show, including serious claims of corruption in the pension fund and the acquisition of a five-kanal house in Peshawar’s Hayatabad area.

In the petition, Jhagra asserts that Marwat accused him of embezzling Rs36 billion from the pension fund—an allegation he strongly denies.

The petition further alleges that Sher Afzal Marwat’s statements amounted to character assassination and violated Taimur Jhagra’s personal and political integrity.

Jhagra’s legal team states that they sent a legal notice to Marwat demanding an explanation and a retraction, but he did not respond.

The lawsuit demands an unconditional written apology from Sher Afzal Marwat, along with Rs1 billion in damages for defamation and harm to Taimur Jhagra’s reputation.

The court is expected to hear the case in the coming days.

Earlier, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) expelled MNA Sher Afzal Marwat from the party for repeatedly violating its code of conduct and discipline.

PTI Additional Secretary General Firdous Shamim Naqvi issued a notification stating that the party decided on the instructions of PTI founder Imran Khan.

The notification added that PTI took the action after reviewing Marwat’s response to the show-cause notice issued to him.

Meanwhile, speaking during a program hosted by Waseem Badami, Firdous Shamim Naqvi said the party had issued three show-cause notices to Sher Afzal Marwat for failing to maintain party discipline.

PTI’s Additional Secretary General said Sher Afzal Marwat had pledged to uphold party discipline but later made statements against party leaders and violated party policy.

Firdous Shamim Naqvi added that PTI has also decided to revoke Marwat’s MNA seat.