Reaffirming his resolve, he said he would neither be intimidated by the verdict nor abandon his principles under pressure.

LAHORE: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari has won a defamation case against Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Moeen Riaz Qureshi, with a Lahore tribunal ordering him to pay Rs3 million in general damages over allegations made against her during a television programme.

Bokhari had filed a case before the Punjab Defamation Tribunal under the Defamation Act, seeking Rs84 million in damages over Qureshi’s allegations concerning the visit of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) chief minister to the Punjab Assembly.

In a short order issued on Tuesday, the tribunal said both parties had concluded their final arguments before ruling in Bokhari’s favour.

“The claim of the plaintiff is hereby decreed up to the extent of general damages amounting to rupees three million (3,000,000/-),” the order stated.

However, the tribunal dismissed the claim for special and punitive damages.

Speaking to the media after the verdict, Bokhari’s counsel, Ali Bukhari, said Qureshi had levelled false allegations against the provincial information minister but failed to substantiate them during the trial.

“Alhamdulillah, the court has delivered its verdict in our favour today,” the counsel said, adding that Qureshi had admitted during the proceedings that he lacked evidence to support his allegations.

According to the counsel, Qureshi had alleged that Bokhari brought more than 100 paid individuals into the Punjab Assembly during the K-P chief minister’s visit. He had also accused journalists who questioned the chief minister during the visit of being paid employees of the minister.

Ali Bukhari said Qureshi had maintained that his statements were based on personal observation but failed to prove the allegations before the tribunal.

Qureshi Says Fine Will Not Silence Him

Reacting to the verdict in a post on X, Qureshi criticised the financial penalty, insisting that it would not deter him from raising his voice for public rights, constitutional supremacy, democracy and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.

“My voice cannot be suppressed by trying to impose fines, but the voice I raise in favour of the people’s rights, the supremacy of the Constitution, and Imran Khan cannot be silenced,” he said.

Qureshi said his responsibility as opposition leader was not to appease those in power but to question their actions, defend citizens’ rights and resist what he described as undemocratic measures.

He also raised concerns about the implications of the verdict for freedom of expression and democratic values, arguing that demanding accountability and speaking for citizens should not result in a financial penalty worth millions of rupees.

“This is not just an issue concerning one individual but the entire democracy and the right to dissent,” he said.

Emphasising that dissent was a fundamental strength of democracy, Qureshi maintained that imposing financial penalties in response to criticism would not invalidate his position.

Reaffirming his resolve, he said he would neither be intimidated by the verdict nor abandon his principles under pressure.

“My stance is clear: no fear, no compromise, no silence,” Qureshi said.

PTI Raises Concerns Over Freedom of Expression

PTI also backed Qureshi, expressing reservations about the verdict and criticising what it described as growing intolerance towards political criticism and dissent.

In a post on X, the party said the case raised serious questions about the use of legal proceedings against political opponents and the protection of freedom of expression.

PTI further linked the verdict to the political environment surrounding an anticipated resolution in the Punjab Assembly concerning the October 11 emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The party suggested that the timing of the verdict and its political implications warranted scrutiny, alleging that legal action was being used to pressure Qureshi for expressing dissent.

“Turning political differences into fear through legal actions is contrary to democratic values,” PTI said, adding that opposition to the K-P government should be addressed within constitutional and democratic limits.

The verdict has added another point of contention between the Punjab government and the opposition, with Bokhari’s side welcoming the tribunal’s decision and Qureshi and PTI raising concerns about its implications for political dissent and freedom of expression.