ISLAMABAD: District and sessions court in Islamabad has issued its verdict in the defamation case filed by Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former federal minister Murad Saeed, ruling in favour of Ahsan Iqbal.
Additional Sessions Judge Hakim Khan accepted the defamation suit and directed Murad Saeed to pay Rs2.5 million in damages to Ahsan Iqbal for harming his reputation.
In its judgment, the court held that Murad Saeed failed to prove his allegations that Ahsan Iqbal was involved in Rs70 billion worth of corruption. The court ruled that the accusations of corruption, misuse of authority, and receiving illegal commissions amounted to defamation.
The judgment noted that Ahsan Iqbal had originally sought Rs10 billion in damages. However, the court observed that the amount claimed was excessive in light of the available evidence. It added that the disputed statements had nevertheless harmed Ahsan Iqbal’s reputation, honour, and dignity.
According to the court, the allegations created a negative impression of Ahsan Iqbal among the public and constituted a direct attack on his integrity, character, and reputation.
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The court further observed that Murad Saeed neither appeared before the court nor presented any evidence in support of the allegations.
The case stemmed from a 2019 press conference, during which Murad Saeed, then serving as a federal minister, accused Ahsan Iqbal of corruption in the Multan-Sukkur Motorway project.
