Legal proceedings continued on Saturday in Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Rs10 billion defamation suit against former PTI chairman Imran Khan, with the premier appearing via video link for a partial cross-examination.
The case, being heard by Additional District and Sessions Judge Yalmaz Ghani, saw disruptions due to a power outage before being adjourned until April 25 for further proceedings.
The defamation suit, initially filed by Shehbaz Sharif, stems from allegations made by Imran Khan in 2017, claiming that Shehbaz offered him Rs10 billion through an intermediary to drop the Panama Papers case. The Prime Minister has denied the accusations, terming them baseless and damaging to his reputation.
During the session, Shehbaz, under oath, responded to questions posed by the defense counsel. He acknowledged that while the statements were made during televised programs, no media personnel or TV channels were named as parties in the lawsuit. The Prime Minister said he could not recall which city the programs were aired from, nor did he confirm any direct confrontation with the former PTI chairman regarding the allegations.
Shehbaz also verified that he personally signed the lawsuit and that an oath commissioner validated the filing. He admitted to uncertainty over whether he was the president of the PML-N at the time of the alleged incident but confirmed that Imran Khan was the head of his party and a political rival during that period.
The Prime Minister seeks Rs10 billion in damages from Imran Khan for allegedly publishing and broadcasting defamatory statements that, according to him, harmed his political standing and public image.
The case highlights the intersection of political rivalry and legal accountability, with broader implications for public discourse and the media’s role in political reporting.
