ISLAMABAD — PTI leader Murad Saeed has moved the Islamabad High Court to challenge a lower court’s decision ordering him to pay Rs2.5 million in damages to Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal.
The appeal, filed Tuesday, argues the civil court’s initial ruling was legally flawed and failed to account for the standards required to establish defamation. Saeed’s legal team contends the judgment ignored the broader context of political discourse, effectively weaponizing defamation laws to silence opposition criticism.
The dispute stems from a series of televised allegations where Saeed accused the Planning Minister of involvement in corruption and misuse of public office. Iqbal responded by filing a defamation suit, claiming the remarks caused irreparable damage to his reputation and political standing.
In the initial verdict, the trial court sided with Iqbal, ordering the former federal minister to pay the damages. The court ruled that the statements were defamatory and lacked sufficient evidence to support the claims made on air.
Saeed’s petition for revision now aims to set aside that order entirely. He maintains that his comments were part of legitimate political accountability and that as a public figure, Iqbal is subject to a higher threshold of public scrutiny.
The case highlights the growing trend of politicians turning to civil courts to settle grievances over televised rhetoric. While defamation suits have become a common tool in Pakistani politics, they rarely result in final, enforceable judgments, often lingering in the appellate system for years.
The Islamabad High Court is expected to set a date for the first hearing in the coming weeks. For now, the Rs2.5 million penalty remains in legal limbo, pending a review of whether the trial court correctly weighed the limits of protected political speech.
