By Abdullah Ahmad
LAHORE; Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday urged a Lahore sessions court to conclude the cross-examination without further delay in the Rs10 billion defamation case he filed against PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan.
The case, lodged in 2017, stems from Imran Khan’s allegations that Shehbaz had offered him Rs10 billion to stay silent during the Panama Papers investigations. Shehbaz rejected the claim as “baseless and defamatory,” filing a defamation suit to protect his political reputation.
Appearing via video link, Shehbaz Sharif emphasized that he had returned overnight from an official trip to Qatar just to attend the proceedings. Addressing the judge, he said:
“Yesterday, I was in Qatar on a special visit, but I returned overnight for this case. Judge Sahib, you are extremely busy and many other cases are pending, but I have been sitting here for over an hour. The country is battling devastating floods, which are now reaching Sindh. The federation and provinces must work together in this emergency. I request the court to complete the cross-examination today so that this case moves forward.”
During the hearing, counsel for Imran Khan questioned whether Shehbaz had sent a legal notice, arguing that the courier receipts neither bore Shehbaz’s name nor specified who had received the notice. Shehbaz’s lawyer confirmed the notice was indeed sent, while Shehbaz himself clarified: “Yes, my name is not on the receipts, but my counsel’s name is there. All the receipts are part of the legal record, and they are before you, My Lord.”
The case has faced years of procedural delays, with Shehbaz consistently pressing for an early resolution, while the defense challenges the validity of the legal notice and supporting evidence.
