On July 3, 2025, a Lahore sessions court, presided over by Additional Sessions Judge Yilmaz Ghani, reserved its verdict on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s petition to include a legal notice in his Rs10 billion defamation suit against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan. The ruling, set for July 10, stems from Khan’s 2017 televised allegations.
Shehbaz Sharif filed a defamation suit against Imran Khan over a 2017 TV interview in which Khan alleged that Sharif had offered him a Rs10 billion bribe to remain silent on the Panama Papers case. Sharif, claiming the accusation was false and damaging, seeks Rs10 billion in compensation. During a May 17, 2025, hearing, Sharif testified via video link, stating the televised remarks were more harmful than “millions of pamphlets” and targeted him, despite his name not being explicitly mentioned.
Read: LHC Rules Imran Khan Involved in May 9, 2023 Conspiracy, Denies Bail
On July 3, Judge Ghani heard arguments on Sharif’s plea to include a May 2017 legal notice demanding Khan’s public apology, which was not issued. Sharif told the court he was unaware of any written materials, such as posters, from Khan, but emphasised the severe reputational damage caused by the televised allegations. Khan’s counsel cross-examined Sharif, noting he later denied the bribe claim, but Sharif maintained the context implicated him. The court will rule on the inclusion of the notice on July 10.
The defamation case, filed amid heightened Pakistan-India tensions post the Pahalgam attack, reflects ongoing political rivalry between Sharif’s PML-N and Khan’s PTI. Khan’s 2023 conviction in the Al-Qadir Trust case and his subsequent detention have fueled the legal battle. Social media on X shows polarised reactions, with PTI supporters calling the suit politically motivated, while PML-N backers defend Sharif’s reputation, highlighting the case’s broader political stakes.
