A sessions court in Lahore has accepted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s request to include his legal notice in the court record and summoned him for cross-examination via video link on July 18.
The five-page written order was issued by Additional Sessions Judge Yalmaz Ghani. The case stems from a Rs 10 billion defamation suit filed by Shehbaz Sharif against PTI founder Imran Khan.
The prime minister alleges that Imran Khan falsely accused him of offering a Rs 10 billion bribe to stay silent in the Panama Papers corruption scandal, a claim that Sharif maintains seriously damaged his reputation. In his petition, Shehbaz Sharif requested that the court officially incorporate the legal notice he had served on Imran Khan as evidence in the proceedings.
Granting the plea, the court has now directed the prime minister to appear for cross-examination through a video link on the scheduled date.
This high-profile defamation case, rooted in Pakistan’s intense political rivalry and long-running Panama Papers controversy, continues to draw public and media attention, with many viewing it as a critical test of political accountability and legal redress in the country.
