An Islamabad court has ruled in favour of Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Prof. Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhry in a defamation suit against former Federal Minister for Communications Murad Saeed, holding that allegations accusing him of corruption in the Multan–Sukkur Motorway project were false and defamatory.
The judgment, delivered on July 29, 2026 by the Court of the Additional District Judge-VII (West), Islamabad, awarded Rs. 2.5 million in general damages to Ahsan Iqbal under the Defamation Ordinance, 2002.
The suit stemmed from public allegations made by Murad Saeed claiming that Ahsan Iqbal had manipulated the award of the Multan–Sukkur Motorway Project and received Rs. 70 billion in illegal kickbacks. Ahsan Iqbal denied the allegations, maintaining that they were fabricated, malicious and intended to damage his reputation.
After reviewing the evidence and hearing both parties, the Court concluded that Murad Saeed had failed to substantiate his claims.
In its judgment, the Court held:
“The defendant has failed to establish that the impugned allegations were substantially true or made for the public good.”
The Court further observed that the allegations went far beyond political criticism:
“The defendant did not merely criticize governmental policies or administrative decisions but directly accused the plaintiff of corruption, abuse of authority, and receiving illegal commission amounting to Rs.70 billion. Such imputations strike at the core of a person’s honesty, integrity, and moral character and are inherently defamatory… this Court is satisfied that the impugned publication lowered the plaintiff’s reputation and adversely affected his honour and dignity.”
Commenting on the verdict, Ahsan Iqbal said the judgment was a victory for truth, due process and the rule of law.
“This decision sends a clear message that political discourse must be based on facts, not fabricated allegations. Democracy is strengthened by accountability, but accountability itself must rest on evidence—not propaganda or character assassination.”
He added that the judgment was another judicial vindication following the earlier Islamabad High Court decision that dismissed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) reference relating to the Narowal Sports City project, holding that the allegations against him lacked legal merit.
Ahsan Iqbal said the judgment reinforces the principle that while political criticism is a legitimate feature of democratic debate, false accusations of corruption intended to malign opponents have legal consequences and cannot be shielded under the guise of political rhetoric.
The ruling marks one of the most significant judicial findings in relation to allegations made during Pakistan’s recent period of intense political polarisation and underscores the responsibility of public figures to ensure that allegations of corruption are supported by credible evidence.
