Imran Khan Defamation Case: PM Shehbaz Testifies via Video Link in Lahore Court

LAHORE:A Lahore sessions court held a hearing on Saturday in the **Rs10 billion defamation suit** filed by Prime Minister **Shehbaz Sharif** against PTI founder **Imran Khan**. The case, being heard by **Additional Sessions Judge Yilmaz Ghani**, saw the prime minister appearing **via video link** to undergo cross-examination.

At the outset of the hearing, Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the judge and courtroom attendees, saying, *“Congratulations to all of you on the victory.”* The judge responded, *“Congratulations to you as well,”* while Imran Khan’s lawyer, **Mian Muhammad Hussain**, commented, *“This is a matter of joy and a victory for the whole nation.”*

During the cross-examination, lawyer Mian Muhammad Hussain questioned the Prime Minister on several key points of the case:

* He asked if Shehbaz Sharif had named any newspapers in the defamation suit or issued legal notices to them. Shehbaz denied avoiding legal action against media outlets.
* He was also asked whether Imran Khan had directly given any such defamatory statement to the newspapers, to which Shehbaz Sharif disagreed.
* Shehbaz confirmed that the defamation claim was filed on **July 7, 2017**, and that Imran Khan had addressed a rally on **April 28**, with news coverage appearing the next day.

When asked whether any other legal claims had been filed against Imran Khan apart from this one, Shehbaz replied, *“No, this is the only one.”* He reiterated that the PTI founder had accused him of **offering Rs10 billion as a bribe to silence him during the Panama Papers case**, which he claimed was false and malicious.

Tensions rose during the hearing when Imran Khan’s lawyer questioned Shehbaz Sharif about the **Panama Papers case**. Shehbaz’s legal team objected, but the lawyer argued the matter was relevant to the defamation claim. Shehbaz stated, *“The Panama case was covered in newspapers and on television, which is why it was mentioned in the suit.”* He rejected claims that he was concealing facts.

Shehbaz also informed the court of his upcoming foreign visits to **Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Iran**. When asked by the court which date should be fixed for the next hearing, the Prime Minister was invited to suggest a suitable date.

The high-profile case stems from **allegations made by Imran Khan in 2017**, claiming Shehbaz Sharif offered him a Rs10 billion bribe to stay silent during the Panama Papers investigation. The legal battle continues to be a significant political and legal event in Pakistan’s recent history.