On October 20, 2026, the Lahore Defamation Tribunal directed Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Moeen Riaz Qureshi to pay Rs3 million in damages after Punjab Information Minister Uzma Bukhari won her defamation lawsuit against him.
Back in January, Bukhari brought the legal action demanding Rs800 million in compensation regarding remarks Qureshi uttered on a TV broadcast. Qureshi asserted that she hired between 150 and 200 paid people to access the Punjab Assembly while former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi visited. He additionally stated that reporters questioning Afridi received payment from the provincial information minister.
Denying the accusations, Bukhari stated that they damaged her public standing. Legal counsel Ali Bukhari delivered arguments for her at the tribunal.
The tribunal granted Rs3 million in general damages within its brief ruling while turning down demands for special and punitive damages. A comprehensive verdict will follow to outline the court rationale.
This decision brings a legal triumph for Bukhari, even though the financial penalty falls far short of her initial payout request.
