The Punjab Defamation Tribunal in Lahore has allowed Pakistani-French fashion designer Mehmood Ahmed Bhatti and other defendants to present their defence in a defamation case.
However, the tribunal has ordered each defendant to submit a personal bond of Rs3 million.
The order was issued on September 3, 2026, in the case of Rizwan Aftab Ahmed versus Mehmood Ahmed Bhatti and others.
The case was filed by a well-known healthcare businessman who is also a director of National Hospital DHA Lahore.
The tribunal said the case involves several important questions about law and facts. These questions will have to be decided after the evidence is presented.
What is the case about?
Mehmood Bhatti is not the only defendant in the case. Umar Aftab, who hosts the YouTube channel Startupreneur, is also named in the case.
Ali Dar, the host of Views Matter Podcast, is also a defendant.
According to the court record, the problem started after a letter allegedly linked to Mehmood Bhatti began circulating. The letter contained allegations against the petitioner.
The petitioner also claimed that his reputation was harmed by interviews shared on social media.
Mehmood Bhatti has denied making defamatory statements. He has also said that the interview was presented without its proper context.
What did the court hear?
A lawyer representing a digital journalist told the tribunal that his client only hosted the interview as part of his journalistic work. He said his client did not make any defamatory statement.
The petitioner disagreed with this argument. He said that providing a platform for allegedly defamatory statements or helping spread them could also lead to legal responsibility in some cases.
The tribunal has not yet decided whether the statements or actions of the defendants amount to defamation.
The court said this question will be decided after evidence is recorded and the case moves forward.
