The Supreme Court of Pakistan has restored the right of former prime minister Imran Khan to defend himself in a defamation case filed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, overturning earlier decisions by lower courts.
A bench of the Supreme Court announced the short order on Wednesday, with Justice Ayesha Malik reading out the verdict. The court ruled by a majority of two judges that Imran Khan’s right to defence should be reinstated.
The judgment also included a dissenting note from one judge who supported maintaining the earlier decision that had barred the former premier from presenting his defence in the case.
The legal dispute stems from a defamation lawsuit filed by Shehbaz Sharif against Imran Khan. During earlier proceedings, the trial court had struck off Khan’s right to defend himself. That decision was subsequently upheld by the Lahore High Court, prompting Khan to challenge the ruling before the Supreme Court.
With the latest verdict, the Supreme Court has allowed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder to participate fully in the proceedings and present his defence before the relevant court.
The detailed judgment has yet to be released, and legal experts are expected to examine the court’s reasoning once the complete order becomes available. The ruling is likely to have a significant impact on the future course of the long-running defamation proceedings.
The case has drawn considerable political and legal attention due to the high-profile nature of the parties involved. Observers say the Supreme Court’s decision reinforces the principle that litigants should be given an opportunity to present their case before a final determination is made.
The matter will now return to the lower court for further proceedings in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling restoring Khan’s right to defend himself.