Shehbaz's defamation case against Imran Khan reaches SC
The defamation case filed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has now reached the Supreme Court. In the case, Khan has submitted a petition challenging the jurisdiction of the court hearing the matter.
In the plea, the PTI founder has requested the apex court suspend proceedings in the defamation case until a decision is made on his appeal. He argues that, under the law, only a district and sessions court has the authority to hear such defamation matters.
Read More: PM Shehbaz's virtual court appearance interrupted by electricity outage
The petition also challenges the jurisdiction of the additional sessions judge, whose decision was previously upheld by the Lahore High Court. Khan's legal team has asked the Supreme Court to nullify the orders issued by both the additional sessions judge and the Lahore High Court.
Furthermore, the petition urges the apex court to halt any further proceedings in the case until the appeal is decided.
2017 Defamation Suit
In 2017, PM Shehbaz filed a defamation suit against then-opposition leader Imran Khan, accusing him of making defamatory statements that harmed his reputation and mental well-being.
Sharif's defamation claim stems from Khan's allegations that Sharif offered him Rs10 billion through a common friend in exchange for withdrawing from the Panama Papers case, which was then pending before the Supreme Court.
According to the suit, these "baseless and malicious" statements were widely circulated by the media, damaging Sharif's public image and causing "extreme mental torture, agony, and anxiety."
Read More: PM replies to queries in defamation suit
Sharif's legal team has asked the court to issue a decree for the recovery of Rs10 billion in compensation for the defamation and the harm caused by the statements. The prime minister contends that the accusations were false and led to significant reputational damage.
In response, Khan filed a reply in 2021, claiming that the information had been passed to him by a friend, who had allegedly been approached by a member of the Sharif family with an offer to stop pursuing the Panama case.
Khan stated that he revealed the incident in the public interest and argued that his statement did not specifically attribute any part of the allegation to Sharif.
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