ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday fixed March 12 for hearing appeals filed by former prime minister Imran Khan against proceedings in a long-running defamation case initiated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
A three-member bench headed by Justice Ayesha Malik will take up the matter, which challenges a trial court’s decision to waive Khan’s right to defense during the proceedings.
The Rs.10 billion defamation suit was filed by Shehbaz Sharif, then chief minister of Punjab, against Khan, then opposition leader and PTI chief, on July 7, 2017, in a Lahore court. The case stemmed from Khan’s televised claim that Shehbaz had offered him a bribe of Rs.10 billion through a mutual friend to withdraw from pursuing the Panama Papers case against the Sharif family in the Supreme Court. Shehbaz denied the allegation outright, arguing that the accusation damaged his reputation, caused mental distress, and harmed his political standing, prompting him to seek damages under defamation laws.
Over nearly nine years, the case has dragged on through lower courts with repeated procedural delays, cross-examinations—including Shehbaz’s recent appearance—and disputes over the trial court’s closure of Khan’s right to defend himself.
That decision was upheld by higher courts but is now under challenge before the apex court. Khan’s legal team has argued that the denial of defense is contrary to constitutional guarantees and fundamental principles of law, undermining the right to a fair trial.
It may be added here that Imran Khan has filed review petitions and appeals against various orders, leading the Supreme Court to stay the trial proceedings in February 2026 while hearing his pleas.
