Pakistan’s national cricket team captain, Babar Azam, has filed a defamation lawsuit against senior anchor Mubasher Luqman.
The legal action comes in response to allegations made by Luqman, which Azam’s legal team contends are baseless and damaging to his reputation.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Babar Azam made the decision to pursue legal recourse after consulting with his legal advisors. The lawsuit, seeking Rs 1 billion in damages, challenges Luqman to substantiate his claims of match-fixing and other misconduct attributed to Azam.
Luqman had recently aired serious allegations against Babar Azam in a widely circulated video on social media. Among these allegations were claims that Azam received an Audi E-Tron as a gift from his brother, allegedly obtained through questionable sources linked to bookies.
Additionally, Luqman accused Azam of owning properties in Australia and New Zealand acquired under dubious circumstances.
These accusations surfaced following Pakistan’s disappointing performance in a recent tournament in the USA, where they faced early elimination. Luqman’s video, which accused Azam of receiving gifts in exchange for manipulating match outcomes, has sparked considerable controversy within the cricketing community and among fans.
In response to the lawsuit, Babar Azam’s legal team has challenged Luqman to provide evidence to support his claims. Failure to substantiate these allegations could result in Luqman being liable to pay the substantial damages sought by Azam.
The controversy has intensified scrutiny on Pakistan’s cricket team, prompting calls from fans and pundits for the Pakistan Cricket Board to conduct a thorough investigation into the allegations raised by Luqman.
The legal proceedings underscore Babar Azam’s determination to protect his reputation and refute what he views as unfounded accusations that threaten to tarnish his career in cricket.
