Zulfi Bukhari wins defamation case against his cousin over corruption allegations

LONDON: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Zulfi Bukhari has won his defamation and harassment claims against Syed Tauqeer Bukhari at the London High Court.

The advisor to former prime minister Imran Khan on international affairs took his cousin Tauqeer to court over tweets and videos Tauqeer had published on X, making serious allegations against him and his father, including allegations of corruption, dishonesty, theft, fraud, threats, human smuggling and being behind a violent attack on Tauqeer’s home in London.

The trial lasted for four days at the court where both Zulfi and Tauqeer appeared in person.

Deputy High Court Judge Aidan Eardley KC found that Zulfi was, overall, an honest and truthful witness, and the allegations made by Tauqeer were seriously damaging to Zulfi’s reputation. 

The judge accepted that Zulfi was a man of good reputation before Tauqeer began his publications. The judge rejected Tauqeer’s attempts to portray himself as engaged in public interest campaigning or journalism. 

There was no defence of truth or public interest on the record, the court found.

In the defamation claim, the judge awarded Zulfi £40,000 in damages for serious harm caused by five tweets and three videos.

In the harassment claim, the judge found that Tauqeer’s social media campaign had the hallmarks of a course of conduct amounting to harassment and awarded Zulfi £3,000 in damages for this.

Zulfi has also been awarded legal costs, which are the subject of a detailed assessment. In the interim, Tauqeer has been ordered to pay £53,770 towards Zulfi’s costs on account. This is in addition to the costs of £45,070 already ordered by the court in this claim, which Tauqeer is liable to pay.

Zulfi commented: “I am grateful for the resounding judgment which vindicates me of all false allegations of corruption. What Tauqeer alleged was false and defamatory, and the court confirms these allegations were baseless. People like him and some others think there’s an easy way to grab attention to be in the news. What they fail to understand is that my silence and respect should never be mistaken for weakness. I can switch off that button whenever I choose.”

Zulfi was represented by Counsel David Lemer of Doughty Street Chambers and Ushrat Sultana and Junaid Ayyaz of Stone White Solicitors. Tauqeer represented himself in the trial, helped by his wife in defending his position.