KARACHI, Sept 12: Decreeing a suit pertaining to the plaintiffs claim for malicious prosecution in the sum of Rs3

!,""" #ustice Khil$i Arif Hussain of the Sin%h High Court has hel% that the %amages must &e such as 'oul% compensate the in$ure% as far as mone( is concerne%) He ga*e the $u%gment in a suit file% &( plaintiff Ameeru%%in against +a,alur Rahman Khan, -./ 0ice 1resi%ent ) 2he plaintiff ha% file% the suit for malicious prosecution an% %amages against the %efen%ant an% pra(e% for a'ar%ing %amages of Rs1, !,""") .rief facts of the case are that the plaintiff is tenant of the %efen%ants 'ife in respect of shop 3o 1 situate% in a &uil%ing constructe% on plot 3os 341 an% 3425C in .loc6 2, 17CHS) 2he %efen%ants 'ife file% a rent case on the groun% of personal &onafi%e use an% on other groun%s) 2he sai% e$ectment application 'as %ismisse% an% the %efen%ants 'ife then file% another rent case &efore the court of the IIn% Senior Ci*il #u%ge 8 Rent Controller on the groun% of %efault) It 'as 'ith%ra'n &( the %efen%ants 'ife 'ho then institute% another rent case on the groun% of %efault an% personal &onafi%e nee%) It 'as also %ismisse%) 2he %efen%ant after seeing that he cannot e$ect the plaintiff from the sai% shop, &egan harassing an% pressuring the plaintiff &( su&mitting false an% fa&ricate% applications to %ifferent authorities an% instituting false criminal cases against the plaintiff so that he an% other tenants *acate the premises) 2he %efen%ant ha% file% more than fi*e criminal complaints9cases against the plaintiff, one after another an% all these cases 'ere %eci%e% against the %efen%ant) #ustice Khil$i o&ser*e% that from the e*i%ence on recor% it 'as esta&lishe% that the %efen%ant trie% to in*ol*e the plaintiff in false cases so as to get possession of the shop from him, 'hich the %efen%ant faile% to get through the %ue course of la', as rent cases file% &( his 'ife 'ere also %ismisse%) I hol% that prosecution of the plaintiff 'as malicious an% the %efen%ant acte% 'ithout an( pro&a&le cause) A&out the claim for loss of reputation as assesse% &( the plaintiff, #ustice Khil$i hel% that it 'oul% suffice to sa( that the same came un%er the hea% of general %amages in the la' of tort) In case of general %amages, the 'ell5esta&lishe% principle 'as that the %amages must &e such as 'oul% compensate the in$ure% as far as mone( 'as concerne%) It 'as true that the loss arising out of in$ur( to the reputation of a person coul% not &e compensate% in terms of mone( an% other non5 pecuniar( losses might not &e accuratel( calculate% in terms of

coins, &ut for this reason alone the court %i% not %ecline to grant compensation an% still the court ha% formulate% certain parameters an% %e*ise% principles for e*aluation of assessment of such general %amages, he o&ser*e%) :r%inaril( in such cases $ust, fair an% reasona&le compensation 'as assesse% an% a'ar%e% to the *ictim) +rom the prepon%erance of authorities on this issue of ;uantification, it emerge% that there 'as no (ar%stic6 or %efinite principle for assessing %amages in such cases an% it &ecame %ifficult to assess a fair compensation) -n%er these circumstances, it 'as the %iscretion of the court, 'hich might on facts of each case an% consi%ering ho' far societ( 'oul% %eem it to &e a fair sum, %etermine% the amount to &e a'ar%e% to a person 'ho ha% suffere% such a %amage, #ustice Khil$i hel%) 2he general %amages 'ere those 'hich the la' 'oul% impl( in e*er( *iolation of a legal right) 2he( nee%e% not &e pro*e% &( strict e*i%ence as the( arose &( inference of la', e*en though no actual pecuniar( loss ha% &een or coul% &e sho'n) 2he *ital canon follo'e% &( the $u%icial min% in such cases 'as that the conscience of the court shoul% &e satisfie% that the %amages a'ar%e% 'oul%, if not completel(, satisfactoril( compensate% the aggrie*e% part() 2he $u%ge o&ser*e% that the plaintiffs e*i%ence on %amages ha% not &een %ispute% &( the %efen%ant 'ho faile% to cross5e<amine the plaintiff) Keeping in *ie' the principles for estimation of %amages, facts plea%e% in the case an% the e*i%ence on recor%, a sum of Rs3 !,""" appeare% to &e fairl( compensating the loss of reputation of &usiness an% health of the plaintiff, #ustice Khil$i o&ser*e%)