PTI counsel grills PM in hearing of defamation plea against Imran

LAHORE: A Lahore sessions court on Saturday adjourned the hearing of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Rs10 billion defamation lawsuit against PTI founder Imran Khan until June 21. The proceedings were presided over by Additional Sessions Judge Yalmaz Ghani. PM Shehbaz appeared before the court via video link and was cross-examined by Imran Khan’s legal counsel.

In his testimony, the prime minister confirmed that he was accompanied by his lawyer, Mustafa Ramday, and was testifying from a closed room. He stated that his affidavit comprised seven pages and denied any procedural irregularities in its submission.

When asked by the PTI lawyer whether the oath commissioner had attested the affidavit, Shehbaz responded that the claim about missing stamps was incorrect. He rejected allegations that the affidavit was not compliant with legal or Lahore High Court procedural standards.

The prime minister’s lawyer objected to what he termed irrelevant questions by the PTI legal team, led by Mian Muhammad Hussain. During the hearing, Shehbaz denied filing the defamation suit in retaliation after the Panama Papers verdict and also rejected claims that he failed to send or attach any legal notices to the PTI founder as part of the affidavit.

The high-profile defamation case stems from Imran Khan’s public allegations against Shehbaz Sharif, which the latter claims damaged his reputation and demanded Rs10 billion in damages.