Pakistan Minister Ahsan Iqbal Wins Defamation Suit, Murad Saeed Pays Rs2.5 m

An Islamabad District and Sessions Court ruled in favour of Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, accepting his defamation suit against Pakistan Tehreek‑e‑Insaf leader Murad Saeed. Additional District and Sessions Judge Hakim Khan ordered Saeed to pay Rs2.5 million in damages, noting that the alleged Rs70 billion corruption claims tied to the Multan‑Sukkur Motorway project were unproven and defamatory.

Iqbal had originally sought Rs10 billion in compensation, but the court deemed that amount excessive given the evidence. Saeed did not appear in court nor provide proof for his accusations, and the judgment highlighted the negative impact of the unsubstantiated statements on Iqbal’s reputation and public standing.