• Dismisses Azma’s claims for special, punitive damages
• Moeen says political criticism cannot be silenced through fines
• PTI questions timing, political implications of verdict

LAHORE: The Punjab Defamation Tribunal on Tuesday ruled in favour of Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari in a defamation suit against Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Moeen Riaz Qureshi, ordering him to pay Rs3 million in general damages.

In January, Ms Bokhari filed the defamation suit against Mr Qureshi, seeking Rs800m in damages over “baseless and fabricated” accusations against her.

In a short order issued on Tuesday, the tribunal said counsel for both parties had concluded their final arguments.

“The claim of the plaintiff is hereby decreed up to the extent of general damages amounting to Rupees three million (Rs3,000,000),” tribunal member Anjum Raza Syed said in an order seen by Dawn.

However, the tribunal dismissed the minister’s claims for special and punitive damages. It said a detailed judgement would be issued separately.

Ms Bokhari’s counsel argued that Mr Qureshi had acknowledged making the remarks in question during a television programme but had failed to produce evidence to substantiate the allegations.

The information minister had filed the suit following allegations levelled by Mr Qureshi at the time of then-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Sohail Afridi’s visit to the Punjab Assembly.

Mr Qureshi had alleged that the provincial minister brought 200 paid individuals into the assembly premises and that journalists who questioned Mr Afridi were her salaried employees.

PTI questions ruling

Commenting on the verdict, Mr Qureshi wrote on X that the voice he raised for “the people’s rights, the supremacy of the Constitution and Imran Khan cannot be silenced”.

He said his duty as opposition leader was “not to flatter those in power but to question them, defend the rights of the people and stand firm against every undemocratic action”.

“Remember! Dissent is the strength of democracy, not its weakness. Attempting to respond to criticism with fines cannot prove any stance wrong,” he said.

Meanwhile, the PTI expressed concern over the verdict and accused the Punjab government of being “unwilling to tolerate even political criticism and dissent”.

It contended that the PML-N government had introduced the Punjab Defamation Act 2024 and used its numerical majority to enact it and was now using the law against an opposition figure.

The party said the development had intensified concerns that legislation intended to address defamation could be used to put political opponents under financial and legal pressure.

Noting that Mr Qureshi had been attempting to present a resolution in the Punjab Assembly against the imposition of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PTI said the emergence of the verdict “raises questions about its timing and political implications”.

However, the party’s statement said Mr Qureshi had been ordered to pay damages to the minister.

Ikram Junaidi in Islamabad also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2026