01/08/2026
The Court of the Additional District Judge-VII (West), Islamabad, has ruled in favour of Federal Minister for Planning Prof. Ahsan Iqbal in a defamation suit against former Federal Minister Murad Saeed, awarding Rs.2.5 million in general damages after finding that allegations accusing him of receiving Rs.70 billion in illegal kickbacks in the Multan–Sukkur Motorway project were not proven. The Court held that the defendant failed to establish the truth of the allegations or demonstrate that they were made for the public good, observing that such accusations amounted to serious imputations against the plaintiff’s honesty, integrity and moral character and had caused reputational harm. Welcoming the verdict, Ahsan Iqbal said the judgment reaffirms that while robust political debate is essential in a democracy, allegations of corruption must be backed by credible evidence, adding that the rule of law requires accountability to be driven by facts rather than unfounded claims or political smear campaigns.
