A leading American-Pakistani businessman has sued two US-based Pakistani journalists for defaming him on social media and causing harm to his reputation.
The defamation case has been started by business tycoon Tanweer Ahmed against a private TV Houston reporter Kamran Jilani and Dallas correspondent Mr. Raja Zahid A. Khanzada for their Meta (Facebook) posts, making false allegations against Tanweer Ahmed and accusing him of running a campaign against Tahir Javed to get him sacked as caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haqa Kakar’s advisor on overseas investment.
Last month, Texas based Pakistani-American businessman Muhammad Tahir Javed joined Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar’as Special Assistant on Investment but was removed from his post just after three weeks over a scandal.
Houston based Schmidt Law Firm’s C. Thomas Schmidt has sent defamation “cease and desist” letters to both reporters, demanding of them to delete their libellous publications, pay damages to Tanweer Ahmed and issue public apologies or else face trial.
The case against Raja Zahid Khanzada is about a defamatory post on his Facebook page published on 17 October in which Khanzada wrote: “Houston's Black Chicken Man Just like black from the outside, it turned out to be black from the inside as well. After Tahir Javed became a minister, he met his demise in frustration, expressing his bitterness.”
The Houston Pakistani business tycoon’s lawyer has written to the Khanzada that the contents of his publication are defamatory as in that Mr Ahmed is a bitter and malicious man; has no morals; and wrongfully maligning a third party.
Legal papers show Kamran Jilani made false accusations against Tanweer Ahmed on 17 October 2023 and 25 October 2023 on his Facebook page soon after American-Pakistani Tahir Javed was made advisor to PM Kakar.
In his posts, Kamran Jilani accused Tanweer Ahmed of dishonesty and jealousy by alleging that he had started a smear campaign against Tahir Javed, a fellow American-Pakistani businessman. Kamran Jilani called Tanweer Ahmed a “mafia don” who damaged US-Pakistan relations and assailed Javed.
The reporter accused Tanweer Ahmed of colluding with the Pakistani establishment to get Tahir Javed sacked from his short-lived post.
The BOL reporter also falsely accused the Houston business tycoon of funding education in the University of Maryland of a senior Pakistani official’s son.
Lawyers of Tanweer Ahmed have said in the letter that Kamran Jilani accused the business tycoon of dishonestly and maliciously engaging in a smear campaign against Mr Tahir Javed which has included character assassination and mudslinging because of his jealousy and personal animosity; making false allegations against Tahir Javed; removing Tahir Javed from his post in Pakistan; and that Tanweer Ahmed puts on a facade for peace but his behaviour is like a mafia don.
The legal letters tell both Kamran Jilani and Khanzada that the defamatory imputations are entirely false and as such they constitute libel and slander. It says: “You have made serious, false and wildly exaggerated statements about our client without a shred of truth to them or evidence of the same. There can be no doubt, based on the seriousness of the allegations and the extent of publication, that our client’s reputation has been caused very serious harm by the publications. The allegations which you are intent on making about our client also have the tendency to damage his business relationships in the USA. You will be required to compensate our client for any financial loss caused by your conduct.”
Tanweer Ahmed is an American-Pakistani businessman, investor, entrepreneur and philanthropist who works with major companies, not for profit organizations and hospitals. He is the owner of the largest cricket complex in Houston, the Prairie View Cricket Complex and the owner of the Houston Hurricanes cricket franchise.
The multi-millionaire businessman is the founder of a brand of food chains and also owns many food chain franchises like Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC. He owns California’s largest transport company and has business interests in the energy sector and medicine industry. Tanweer Ahmed is credited for taking over $50 million dollars aid to Pakistan during the 2022 devastating floods in Pakistan. He is described as an incredibly well-respected and active member of the Houston community with a reputation for honesty and integrity.
