{"id":18974,"date":"2026-06-11T13:07:25","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T13:07:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/?p=18974"},"modified":"2026-06-11T13:07:25","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T13:07:25","slug":"major-legal-victory-for-imran-khan-supreme-court-restores-right-of-defence-in-shehbaz-sharifs-defamation-lawsuit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/?p=18974","title":{"rendered":"Major Legal Victory for Imran Khan: Supreme Court Restores Right of Defence in Shehbaz Sharif\u2019s Defamation Lawsuit"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"model-response-message-contentr_ee2185ceea233206\" class=\"markdown markdown-main-panel enable-updated-hr-color\" dir=\"ltr\" aria-live=\"polite\" aria-busy=\"false\">\n<p data-path-to-node=\"1\"><b data-path-to-node=\"1\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Islamabad (HRNW):<\/b> In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has restored the &#8216;Right of Defence&#8217; for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in a high-profile defamation lawsuit. The apex court&#8217;s ruling effectively reverses lower court restrictions, paving the way for a rigorous legal contest.<\/p>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"2\"><b data-path-to-node=\"2\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Three-Member Bench Grants Appeals<\/b><\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"3\">A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by <b data-path-to-node=\"3\" data-index-in-node=\"53\">Justice Ayesha A. Malik<\/b>, announced the reserved verdict. After evaluating the arguments from both legal teams regarding the recording of testimonies, the apex court formally accepted Imran Khan&#8217;s appeals.<\/p>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"4\"><b data-path-to-node=\"4\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Background of the Defamation Suit<\/b><\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"5\">The case stems from a multi-billion rupee defamation lawsuit filed by current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif against Imran Khan. The litigation was initiated following public allegations made by the PTI founder regarding alleged financial payoffs linked to the Panama Papers fallout.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"6\">The trial court had previously terminated Imran Khan&#8217;s right to defend himself due to procedural delays and timelines regarding the submission of responses, prompting his legal council to file an appeal before the apex court.<\/p>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"7\"><b data-path-to-node=\"7\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Restoration of Cross-Examination and Witness Testimony<\/b><\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"8\">By accepting Imran Khan&#8217;s constitutional appeals, the Supreme Court has struck down the restrictive lower court order. With his right of defence fully restored, the former prime minister is now legally permitted to:<\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"9\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"9,0,0\">Cross-examine the witnesses presented by Shehbaz Sharif&#8217;s legal team.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"9,1,0\">Record official statements and present defense witnesses to substantiate his stance before the trial court.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"10\">Legal experts have termed this a landmark decision that reinforces Article 10-A of the Constitution, safeguarding the core judicial principle of a fair trial and due process for all citizens.<\/p>\n<blockquote data-path-to-node=\"12\">\n<p data-path-to-node=\"12,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"12,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Support Our Mission:<\/b><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"12,0\">Join <b data-path-to-node=\"12,0\" data-index-in-node=\"26\">HRNW<\/b>, the world&#8217;s No. 1 Human Rights News Portal, in our mission to be a timely voice for judicial transparency, constitutional supremacy, and legal rights. Your support enables us to continue promoting objective truth and the rule of law.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"12,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"12,0\" data-index-in-node=\"266\">Click here to help us:<\/b> <a class=\"ng-star-inserted\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/%3Fpage_id%3D1083\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-hveid=\"0\" data-ved=\"0CAAQ_4QMahgKEwjysqDxj_-UAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQ3gc\">HRNW Support Link<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_18974\" class=\"pvc_stats total_only  \" data-element-id=\"18974\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.0\" viewBox=\"0 0 502 315\" preserveAspectRatio=\"xMidYMid meet\"><g transform=\"translate(0,332) scale(0.1,-0.1)\" fill=\"\" stroke=\"none\"><path d=\"M2394 3279 l-29 -30 -3 -207 c-2 -182 0 -211 15 -242 39 -76 157 -76 196 0 15 31 17 60 15 243 l-3 209 -33 29 c-26 23 -41 29 -80 29 -41 0 -53 -5 -78 -31z\"\/><path d=\"M3085 3251 c-45 -19 -58 -50 -96 -229 -47 -217 -49 -260 -13 -295 52 -53 146 -42 177 20 16 31 87 366 87 410 0 70 -86 122 -155 94z\"\/><path d=\"M1751 3234 c-13 -9 -29 -31 -37 -50 -12 -29 -10 -49 21 -204 19 -94 39 -189 45 -210 14 -50 54 -80 110 -80 34 0 48 6 76 34 21 21 34 44 34 59 0 14 -18 113 -40 219 -37 178 -43 195 -70 221 -36 32 -101 37 -139 11z\"\/><path d=\"M1163 3073 c-36 -7 -73 -59 -73 -102 0 -56 133 -378 171 -413 34 -32 83 -37 129 -13 70 36 67 87 -16 290 -86 209 -89 214 -129 231 -35 14 -42 15 -82 7z\"\/><path d=\"M3689 3066 c-15 -9 -33 -30 -42 -48 -48 -103 -147 -355 -147 -375 0 -98 131 -148 192 -74 13 15 57 108 97 206 80 196 84 226 37 273 -30 30 -99 39 -137 18z\"\/><path d=\"M583 2784 c-38 -19 -67 -74 -58 -113 9 -42 211 -354 242 -373 16 -10 45 -18 66 -18 51 0 107 52 107 100 0 39 -1 41 -124 234 -80 126 -108 162 -133 173 -41 17 -61 16 -100 -3z\"\/><path d=\"M4250 2784 c-14 -9 -74 -91 -133 -183 -95 -150 -107 -173 -107 -213 0 -55 33 -94 87 -104 67 -13 90 8 211 198 130 202 137 225 78 284 -27 27 -42 34 -72 34 -22 0 -50 -8 -64 -16z\"\/><path d=\"M2275 2693 c-553 -48 -1095 -270 -1585 -649 -135 -104 -459 -423 -483 -476 -23 -49 -22 -139 2 -186 73 -142 361 -457 571 -626 285 -228 642 -407 990 -497 242 -63 336 -73 660 -74 310 0 370 5 595 52 535 111 1045 392 1455 803 122 121 250 273 275 326 19 41 19 137 0 174 -41 79 -309 363 -465 492 -447 370 -946 591 -1479 653 -113 14 -422 18 -536 8z m395 -428 c171 -34 330 -124 456 -258 112 -119 167 -219 211 -378 27 -96 24 -300 -5 -401 -72 -255 -236 -447 -474 -557 -132 -62 -201 -76 -368 -76 -167 0 -236 14 -368 76 -213 98 -373 271 -451 485 -162 444 86 934 547 1084 153 49 292 57 452 25z m909 -232 c222 -123 408 -262 593 -441 76 -74 138 -139 138 -144 0 -16 -233 -242 -330 -319 -155 -123 -309 -223 -461 -299 l-81 -41 32 46 c18 26 49 83 70 128 143 306 141 649 -6 957 -25 52 -61 116 -79 142 l-34 47 45 -20 c26 -10 76 -36 113 -56z m-2057 25 c-40 -58 -105 -190 -130 -263 -110 -324 -59 -707 132 -981 25 -35 42 -64 37 -64 -19 0 -241 119 -326 174 -188 122 -406 314 -532 468 l-58 71 108 103 c185 178 428 349 672 473 66 33 121 60 123 61 2 0 -10 -19 -26 -42z\"\/><path d=\"M2375 1950 c-198 -44 -350 -190 -395 -379 -18 -76 -8 -221 19 -290 114 -284 457 -406 731 -260 98 52 188 154 231 260 27 69 37 214 19 290 -38 163 -166 304 -326 360 -67 23 -215 33 -279 19z\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/i> <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif\" border=0 \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Islamabad (HRNW): In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has restored the &#8216;Right of Defence&#8217; for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in a high-profile defamation lawsuit. The apex court&#8217;s ruling effectively reverses lower court restrictions, paving the way for a rigorous legal contest. Three-Member Bench Grants Appeals A three-member bench of&#8230;<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_18974\" class=\"pvc_stats total_only  \" data-element-id=\"18974\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.0\" viewBox=\"0 0 502 315\" preserveAspectRatio=\"xMidYMid meet\"><g transform=\"translate(0,332) scale(0.1,-0.1)\" fill=\"\" stroke=\"none\"><path d=\"M2394 3279 l-29 -30 -3 -207 c-2 -182 0 -211 15 -242 39 -76 157 -76 196 0 15 31 17 60 15 243 l-3 209 -33 29 c-26 23 -41 29 -80 29 -41 0 -53 -5 -78 -31z\"\/><path d=\"M3085 3251 c-45 -19 -58 -50 -96 -229 -47 -217 -49 -260 -13 -295 52 -53 146 -42 177 20 16 31 87 366 87 410 0 70 -86 122 -155 94z\"\/><path d=\"M1751 3234 c-13 -9 -29 -31 -37 -50 -12 -29 -10 -49 21 -204 19 -94 39 -189 45 -210 14 -50 54 -80 110 -80 34 0 48 6 76 34 21 21 34 44 34 59 0 14 -18 113 -40 219 -37 178 -43 195 -70 221 -36 32 -101 37 -139 11z\"\/><path d=\"M1163 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