A Pakistani court on Monday postponed for the third time the announcement of the verdict in the 190 million pounds Al-Qadir Trust corruption case against former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi. The Anti-Corruption Court in Islamabad has now set January 17 as the date for announcing the verdict.ATC Judge Nasir Javed Rana completed the hearing in the case on December 18 but reserved the judgment until December 23. Later, he fixed January 6 as the date for announcing the verdict, Geo News reported. Judge Rana was on leave on January 6 so the verdict was postponed until January 13. Today, the judge once again postponed the announcement of the verdict until January 17, citing the absence of the accused in the court.The development comes amidst the ongoing negotiation between the government and Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to address the political instability in the country due to the imprisonment of the former premier and several other leaders of the party.
So far two rounds of talks have been held and another is expected this week. It was not clear if the judgment would impact the talks. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in December 2023 filed the case against Khan (72), Bibi (50) and six others, accusing them of causing a loss to the tune of 190 million pounds (PRs50 billion) to the national kitty.
However, Khan and Bibi have been prosecuted as all others, including a property tycoon, were out of the country.
Both Khan and Bibi are accused in the case, which revolves around allegations that PRs50 billion, returned to Pakistan by the UK’s National Crime Agency as part of a settlement with a property tycoon was misused. The funds were reportedly intended for the national treasury but were allegedly redirected for the personal benefit of the businessman who helped Bibi and Khan to set up a university.Bibi, as a trustee of the Al-Qadir Trust, is accused of benefiting from this settlement, including acquiring 458 kanals of land for Al-Qadir University in Jhelum.
Pak court rejects Bushra Bibi’s pre-arrest bail petitions
A Pakistan court on Monday rejected three pre-arrest bail petitions by Bushra Bibi, wife of former jailed prime minister Imran Khan.
Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka heard the petitions in cases related to the November 26 protest. The cases were filed against Bibi and hundreds of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party workers.
Khan, 72, on November 13 issued a “final call” for nationwide protests on November 26, demanding the restoration of the PTI’s electoral mandate, the release of detained party members, and the reversal of the 26th constitutional amendment.
Responding to his call, thousands of PTI workers reached Islamabad but faced a crackdown by police, which forcibly dispersed them while arresting more than 1,400.
Bibi was not present in the court and her lawyer Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry submitted an application seeking exemption from appearance on the grounds that she had to appear in another court which was supposed to announce a decision in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case.
Prosecutor Iqbal Kakhar opposed the bail by arguing that Bibi failed to submit surety bonds as required as demanded by the court.
Judge Majoka also expressed annoyance at the failure to submit surety bonds. “You have not yet submitted the surety bonds. You are not complying with the court’s orders,” he remarked and subsequently dismissed the bail pleas.
Bibi is Khan’s third wife. The couple married at the start of 2018. She has been facing different cases, including the 190-million pound Al-Qadir Trust corruption case.
