Zia Chishti’s defamation saga: a legal loss, a media victory

WEB DESK: The British daily broadcast newspaper – The Telegraph – issued a public apology to the founder and former chief executive of Afiniti, Zia Chishti. Between November 2021 and February 2023, The Telegraph published multiple articles on Chishti that have now become the cause for this apology, and a settlement involving “substantial damages” in the defamation case.

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The articles were about sexual harassment allegations against Chishti, made by Tatiana Spottiswoode, a former Afiniti employee, to the United States Congress Judiciary Committee. Her testimony alleged that Chishti had groomed her with sexual intent after being introduced to her as a teenager, pursued her with inducements and threats, and engaged in an abusive relationship during their adulthood.

After the allegations surfaced, Chishti initiated a lawsuit against Spottiswoode and her lawyers, seeking $500 million in damages. In October 2024, lost the defamation law suit.

However, in the “media trial” as is the term these days – Zia Chishti bagged his second victory on Monday. previously, the former CEO of Afiniti, and of TRG Pakistan, had won a similar defamation lawsuit against ‘Narratives Magazine’ and its editor Amir Zia in June 2024.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Muhammad Farhan Nabi had issued a scathing verdict saying that the magazine had reported without credible evidence, causing severe damage to Chishti.

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Now, on 17 March 2025 The Telegraph made a statement in open court that it withdraws its earlier position that the above allegations were true and that they were made in the public interest. In a statement published the same day, “The Telegraph apologises to Mr Chishti and his family for the harm they have been caused. Finally, The Telegraph has agreed to pay Mr Chishti a substantial sum by way of damages and a contribution to his legal costs.”