ISLAMABAD: The verdict in the £190 million case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi will be announced on January 13. An accountability court in Islamabad confirmed this on Monday.
The court staff clarified that the delay was due to Judge Nasir Javed Rana being on leave. Both the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor and PTI’s legal team have been informed of the deferment.
This marks the second postponement of the verdict, which was initially reserved on December 18. It was originally set to be announced on December 23 but was subsequently delayed. The case, also referred to as the Al-Qadir Trust case, alleges significant financial misconduct involving the former prime minister and others.
Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, and several others are accused by the NAB of causing a £190 million loss to the national treasury through a controversial settlement between the PTI government and a prominent property tycoon.
The case adds to the growing list of legal challenges facing the former prime minister, who has been imprisoned since August 2023 after being sentenced in the Toshakhana Case-I.
PTI Lawyer’s Reaction
Speaking to the media, PTI’s counsel Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry criticized the repeated delays, revealing that he was informed early Monday morning that the verdict would not be announced as scheduled.
Case Details
The NAB filed the case against Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi, and others in December 2023, alleging financial impropriety in the settlement.
According to the charges, Khan and his associates reportedly adjusted Rs50 billion (£190 million at the time) sent by Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to the Pakistani government as part of a deal with the property tycoon. The settlement was approved by Khan’s cabinet on December 3, 2019, without revealing details of the confidential agreement.
As per NAB officials, the funds were later deposited in the Supreme Court on behalf of the tycoon. In exchange, the PTI founder and his wife allegedly received land worth billions of rupees to establish an educational institute. This land was reportedly acquired in return for providing legal cover for the tycoon’s black money returned by the UK agency.
A few weeks after the agreement was approved, the Al-Qadir Trust was founded in Islamabad under the PTI-led government.
