The legal notice claimed that The Guardian had published a news story on May 9, in which it said, "The US and Pakistan had struck a secret deal permitting a US operation against Osama bin Laden on Pakistani soil similar to the last week raid that killed the al Qaeda leader. The deal had been struck between the former president of Pakistan and the current APML head, Pervez Musharraf, and former US president George W Bush somewhere in 2001."
The APML declared that the said news item was absolutely false, frivolous, fabricated and published as part of a vilification propaganda campaign aimed to harm, defame, and denigrate Musharraf's reputation.
The notice said that the news item had been published without corroboration and counterchecking of the facts and on the basis of foul remarks passed by some unknown US and Pakistani serving as well as retired officials. It further said that the news item had been published with mala fide intentions of maligning Musharraf's image, both as the former Pakistan president and current APML head.
"Also, there is no room for any individual personality or personalities to enter into verbal secret deals on behalf of their states," the Daily Times quoted the notice, as saying.
The publication of this false and fabricated news item has indeed provided an open chance to Musharraf's political opponents to initiate disparagement propaganda against him, as well as triggering fierce criticism and hate from public at large within and outside Pakistan, it added.
Through the legal notice, the APML has also demanded $ 5 million as compensation for damaging Musharraf's reputation and lowering his popularity both within and outside Pakistan.
