Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif Testifies via Video Link in PTI’s Founder Imran Khan’s Defamation Case

Lahore:In an ongoing defamation case filed by **Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif** against **Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)** founder **Imran Khan**, the Prime Minister appeared via video link for cross-examination in the **Session Court Lahore**. The case, in which **Imran Khan** is accused of making defamatory remarks, took a dramatic turn when electricity was cut off during the questioning.

The **Additional Sessions Judge** conducted the hearing of the defamation lawsuit filed by Shahbaz Sharif, where the **Prime Minister** appeared through video link. During cross-examination by Imran Khan’s lawyer, **Mian Muhammad Hussain Chotia**, the power went out, temporarily halting the proceedings. However, the questioning resumed 50 minutes later.

Before the cross-examination began, **Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif** took an oath, stating that he would speak the truth and not make any false statements. The lawyer representing Imran Khan questioned the Prime Minister regarding the filing of the defamation suit. Shahbaz Sharif clarified that the case had not been filed in the **District Court**, and he admitted that he had not included any media house or its employees as parties in the suit.

Further, Shahbaz Sharif confirmed that the defamatory remarks against him had been repeatedly broadcast on television programs, but he did not know the details of which cities the programs had aired from. He also explained that before filing the defamation case, he did not confirm the locations from where the television programs were broadcast.

During the cross-examination, the Prime Minister stated that he could not recall whether he had read the **Defamation Law of 2002** before filing the suit. He also admitted that the stamp paper for the case had been purchased by his lawyer’s agent, and the oath commissioner who confirmed the lawsuit’s verification had visited him personally in **Model Town, Lahore**, although he could not recall the exact day or time.

The questioning continued with Imran Khan’s lawyer asking whether Shahbaz Sharif had ever personally faced any direct accusations from Imran Khan on television. The Prime Minister replied that Imran Khan had made all the allegations against him through TV channels, but he was unsure whether Imran Khan owned or had any affiliations with major newspapers like **Jang** or **Pakistan**.

The cross-examination raised several legal points, particularly concerning the authority of the **Additional Sessions Judge** to hear the case and record evidence. Shahbaz Sharif’s lawyer, **Mustafa Ramday**, objected to one of the questions, stating that the legal issue had already been settled.

In response to another query about the **Defamation Law of 2002**, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif stated that the law did not apply to individuals, but only to media organizations, their employees, and officers. He refuted claims that the case was filed against a private individual and emphasized that the lawsuit was related to political rivalry with Imran Khan, who has been a long-standing adversary of **Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)**.

At the close of the hearing, **Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif** stated that although he could not recall whether he was the **PML-N** president when the allegations were made in 2017, he confirmed that he had been associated with the party since then. He also acknowledged that Imran Khan had always been a political rival to **PML-N** and had never been an ally of the party.

The court adjourned the hearing until **April 25, 2024, at 9 AM**, when the rest of the cross-examination will be completed.