The Islamabad accountability court has once again postponed its verdict in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust corruption case involving former Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi. The decision, initially scheduled for January 6, was delayed due to the unavailability of Judge Nasir Javed Rana, who is currently on leave. The court will now announce its verdict on January 13, reads a Dawn report.
The case, filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in December 2023, accuses Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi, and seven others of corruption and misuse of authority. It alleges that during the PTI government, billions of rupees and land worth hundreds of kanals were obtained from Bahria Town Ltd in exchange for legalizing £190 million (approximately Rs. 50 billion) returned to Pakistan by the UK.
This marks the second postponement of the verdict. On December 18, the court reserved its decision, initially set for December 23, but deferred it to January 6 due to winter vacations.
Imran Khan, who remains incarcerated, has dismissed the allegations as politically motivated, accusing his opponents and state institutions of weaponizing accountability processes to suppress dissent. Co-accused in the case include property tycoon Malik Riaz, his son Ahmed Ali Riaz, and others, several of whom have been declared proclaimed offenders for evading court proceedings.
The reference claims that the accused, acting in collusion, diverted state funds for personal benefit, with significant roles attributed to Bushra Bibi and her associate, Farhat Shahzadi. The court has frozen the properties of all six accused and is urged to prosecute them under the National Accountability Ordinance.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
