The case was adjourned by Additional Sessions Judge Yalmaz Ghani after Imran Khan’s lawyer presented a copy of the stay order issued by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Supreme Court Stay Order
Earlier, on February 20, 2026, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court temporarily stayed the proceedings of the defamation case pending before the Lahore trial court.
The bench was headed by Justice Ayesha A. Malik and included Justice Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim.
The court also issued a notice to the respondent and directed its office to fix the matter for an early hearing.
Petitions Filed by Imran Khan
Imran Khan’s legal team informed the court that two petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court:
One challenges the authority of the additional sessions judge to hear the case.
The other requests the court to include two additional legal issues that were not previously considered.
Background of the Case
The defamation suit was originally filed on July 7, 2017, when Shehbaz Sharif accused Imran Khan of damaging his reputation by alleging that he had offered a bribe in connection with the Panama Papers issue.
Sharif maintained in the suit that the allegation was false and had brought him into public disrepute, prompting the demand for Rs10 billion in damages.
The case will now proceed depending on the Supreme Court’s next order.