- Judge Nasir Javed Rana reserves decision after eight and a half hours hearing, to announce verdict on Dec 23
- The case was one of ‘political revenge’, argues defence counsel Barrister Salman Safdar
RAWALPINDI: The Accountability Court Rawalpindi on Wednesday reserved its verdict in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust corruption reference against former prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse, Bushra Bibi.
Judge Nasir Javed Rana reserved the verdict to be announced on December 23. The accountability court reserved it decision after the counsels of PTI founder Khan and his wife concluded final arguments in the case. The prosecution team had completed its arguments a day earlier.
The court had indicted the incarcerated ex-premier and former first lady in the high-profile corruption case on February 27, 2024.
During the one-year long trial, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) recorded testimonies of 35 witnesses, including former principal secretary Azam Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ex-chief minister Pervez Khattak and former federal minister Zubaida Jalal.
During hearing held at Adiala Jail for eight and a half hours, Barrister Salman Safdar argued that the case was one of “political revenge”, adding that the defence had been proved innocent in previous cases.
He said the case was one in which the matter involved PML-N President Nawaz Sharif’s son, Hassan Nawaz, as well and yet the latter was not included in proceedings.
“The reference was made to target a specific couple. Before becoming the prime minister, the PTI founder was known as a social worker, collecting donations worth billions of rupees,” he said.
Safdar also pointed out that half of the case revolved around Malik and yet he was not a part of the ongoing proceedings.
“Political revenge has become so blind that social work has also been targeted. Not even a penny went into the pockets of the accused,” he maintained.
The defence counsel also argued that NAB changed its position in the reference to now saying that it was a matter of conflict of interest.
He argued that no personal benefit was availed in the matter, no settlement agreement was present, no witness from the National Crimes Agency was present and no land was transferred in Bushra Bibi’s name.
NAB prosecutor Amjad Pervaiz said the watchdog did not step back from the case or change its stance regarding the allegations.
He was questioned what need was there that had prompted a violation of the cabinet’s rules of business to get its approval.
“The PTI founder, as prime minister, approved the illegal inflow of money into Pakistan,” he argued.
“Our stance is not that the PTI founder and his wife took personal financial benefits. It is our stance that the PTI founder approved the illegal settlement,” he added.
He further said that the prosecution had presented two of the ex-premier’s cabinet members as witnesses, remarking, “The accused had the opportunity to present any of his cabinet members in his defence.”
He added that neither Imran nor Bushra denied their relationship with Farah Gogi.
PTI questions need for the long hearing
Reacting to today’s proceeding, the PTI questioned the need for the long hearing and asked if there was any doubt about what the verdict would be.
Talking to the media after the hearing, Imran’s sister Aleema Khanum said it seemed that the “judge has already made up his mind” and her brother would be convicted on Monday.
Meanwhile, Barrister Salman Safdar, counsel for the couple, expressed confidence that the couple would be acquitted.
NAB’s £190 million case
The NAB had filed the reference against Khan, Bushra, and others in December 2023.
The couple is facing a NAB inquiry related to a settlement between the PTI government and a property tycoon, which reportedly caused a loss of £190 million to the national exchequer.
As per the charges, Khan and other accused allegedly adjusted Rs50 billion — £190 million at the time — sent by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to the Pakistani government as part of the agreement with the property tycoon.
Bushra was nominated as an accused in the case for being a trustee of the Al-Qadir Trust.
They are also accused of getting undue benefit in the form of over 458 kanals of land at Mouza Bakrala, Sohawa, to establish Al Qadir University.
During the PTI government, the NCA seized assets worth £190 million from the property tycoon in Britain.
The UK agency said the assets would be passed to the government of Pakistan and the settlement with the Pakistani property tycoon was “a civil matter, and does not represent a finding of guilt”.
Subsequently, then-prime minister Khan got approval for the settlement with the UK crime agency from his cabinet on December 3, 2019, without disclosing the details of the confidential agreement.
It was decided that the money would be submitted to the Supreme Court on behalf of the tycoon.
Subsequently, the Al-Qadir Trust was established in Islamabad a few weeks after the PTI-led government approved the agreement with the property tycoon.
This is a developing story and is being updated with more details.
