Court Reporter 2024: In a recent ruling, the Additional District Judge-II, Quetta, dismissed a high-profile defamation lawsuit involving Asif Khan, Chairman of Deploy Private Limited, against Zubair Ahmed, CEO of Flare Magazine. Khan had sought a substantial sum of 350 million rupees in damages, claiming an article in Flare Magazine had tarnished his company’s reputation and led to financial losses.
The crux of the court’s decision rested on the principle of territorial jurisdiction. It was established that Flare Magazine operates out of Lahore, where the defendant is also based. Moreover, the plaintiff himself is a resident of the United Kingdom. These facts led the court to conclude that it lacked the necessary jurisdiction to adjudicate the matter.
Citing Section 20 of the Code of Civil Procedure, which delineates the parameters for filing lawsuits, the court underscored that cases must be instituted in a court within whose local limits the defendant resides, conducts business, or where the cause of action arises. In this instance, none of these conditions were met in Quetta.
The suit has been returned to the plaintiff, who now has the option to pursue the matter in a court with the appropriate jurisdictional authority. This decision underscores the importance of understanding legal jurisdictions when filing lawsuits, particularly in cases with inter-city or international dimensions.
