British-Pakistani PTI activist Shayan Ali’s defamation lawsuit against a private television channel is moving forward towards a trial at the High Court in London. The case, seeking close to £100,000 in damages, centers on a broadcast aired on April 2, 2022, which accused Shayan of attempting to assault former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif outside the Pakistan Muslim League-N office near Hyde Park.
The television report claimed Shayan threw a mobile phone that struck and injured a security guard during the alleged incident. Shayan has consistently refuted these accusations, asserting that he did not attack Nawaz Sharif nor throw his phone. Instead, he states he was recording a video outside the PML-N office at the time. Notably, no arrest was made, and Shayan was not charged in connection with the matter.
In a significant development, Shayan filed a complaint with Ofcom, the UK’s broadcasting regulator, which ruled in his favor. Ofcom found that the channel failed to exercise reasonable care to ensure the broadcast did not unfairly omit or distort material facts. The regulator also determined that the channel did not provide Shayan with a timely or appropriate opportunity to respond to the serious allegations, concluding that he was treated unjustly in the broadcast.
The TV report detailed that Nawaz Sharif was leaving the temporary PML-N headquarters near Hyde Park when Shayan, allegedly present as part of a premeditated plan, behaved aggressively and attempted to approach him. The report further alleged that Shayan threw his phone towards Nawaz, hitting a security guard on the forehead and causing injury. It added that Nawaz was hurried into his vehicle while the injured guard was taken to hospital.
Shayan contends that the broadcast presented these allegations as established facts, damaging his reputation severely among audiences in the UK, Pakistan, and beyond. He argues that the channel aired defamatory claims without giving him a proper chance to respond.
court documents, the trial is expected to last at least one week. A hearing scheduled in the coming days will address the case’s future management and progression. The High Court has yet to rule on liability or the substantive claims from either side.
Shayan is represented by Spencer Williams and Mughal, while the television channel is defended by Hemingways Solicitors. The broadcaster has submitted a defense denying the claims. A spokesperson for the channel stated that legal proceedings are ongoing and declined further comment, promising to share the outcome once the case concludes.
Meanwhile, Shayan’s legal team expressed confidence that justice will be served but refrained from additional remarks due to the case being before the High Court.
