Babar Azam’s family ‘offered’ Rs2mn to settle sexual harassment lawsuit, claims ex-classmate

LAHORE – The petitioner in the Babar Azam harassment case has alleged that the family of Pakistan cricket team captain is offering her Rs2 million to settle the ongoing harassment case.

Hamiza Mukhtar this time comes with the latest claim that the family of the Pakistani skipper has approached her with a third party who asked to take back the lawsuit against the said amount.

Amid a regular inquiry into the matter, the 26-year-old cricketer has moved the Lahore High Court against the decision to book him on charges of blackmailing and harassment. The plea filed stated that the court also did not mention the reasons to register a case against Babar.

In his plea, the star batsman prayed to the higher court to declare the trial court’s order void and suspend the decision to register the case against the applicant till the final decision.

Babar in his petition made respondents Hamiza Mukhtar, SHO [Station House Officer] FIA's Cyber Crime Circle and the judge of district court who had directed FIA to register FIR against him. 

The cricketer has contended in the application that the order passed by the district and sessions court was “an unreasoned and non-speaking order”.

“Adding the direction to register FIR without applying judicial mind is against the real essence of the law. The impugned order does not even consider the fact that no cognisable offence is made out and the instant complaint is the third complaint filed in an attempt to blackmail, harass and intimidate the petitioner to pay extortion money,” the cricketer said in the petition.

On Thursday, Additional Sessions Judge Hamid Hussain, while hearing a plea moved by Mukhtar, had ordered registration of a case against the skipper.

Last year in November, Hamiza had hurled allegations of sexual harassment and financial abuse against the national captain. The complainant alleged that she was in a relationship with the cricketer and they eloped later in 2011 after which they lived in different areas in Punjab capital.

In an exclusive interview with DailyPakistan, she told that they were both teens when their relationship began a decade ago.

Holding the holy Quran in hand, the 24-year-old told DP anchor Yasir Shami that she had eloped with Babar for marrying in the court in 2011 because their families disapproved their relationship; allegedly after having indulged in extramarital affairs.

“Babar took me to his friend’s place at Wahdat Road, Lahore where we spent a couple of days,” she continued, “after that he kept me in Model Colony, Firdous Market till 2012.”

She further shared how she stole jewellery worth 150,000-200,000 (at that time) from her house for the survival of their relationship.

“I even sold my car and gave him Rs1.2 million, but he (Babar) was still not happy and had a fight with me.” Seeing his behavior changed, Hamiza said, she then reached Naseerabad Factory Area Police Station to lodge a complaint against “the love of her life”.