After several delays, the highly anticipated verdict in the £190 million case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi is set to be delivered today, Monday, unless there are further postponements, a PTI lawyer confirmed on Sunday. Accountability court Judge Nasir Javed Rana is scheduled to announce the reserved judgment at 11 a.m. at a makeshift court in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail.
Khalid Yousuf Chaudhry, the lawyer for the PTI founder, confirmed the announcement after discussing it with court staff. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecution team has also been informed. The decision was originally due earlier this month but was deferred when the judge took leave. This marks the second postponement of the verdict, initially set for December 23, 2024, after being reserved on December 18.
The NAB has accused Imran Khan, his wife Bushra, and others of causing a significant financial loss to the national exchequer through a settlement between the PTI government and a property tycoon. This case is just one among numerous legal challenges faced by Khan, who has been in prison for over a year following a sentence in the Toshakhana case.
Government and Opposition Reactions
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif expressed optimism about the outcome, hoping “justice will prevail.” At a press conference in Sialkot, Asif addressed the unprecedented actions during PTI’s governance. He urged the media to investigate the nature of Al-Qadir Trust, which was speculated to be involved in the case.
Read: Accountability Court Postpones Verdict in Imran Khan’s £190M Case
PTI leader Asad Qaiser criticized the government’s representatives for their comments, suggesting they anticipate a ‘predetermined verdict’ in the Al-Qadir Trust case. He asserts that the trust is known globally as a welfare institution. Qaiser defended the incarcerated PTI founder, arguing that Khan derived no personal benefit from the non-profit organization. He also criticized the trial’s lack of transparency and solid evidence, labelling it a “political witch-hunt.”
The controversy stems from allegations that Khan and others misappropriated Rs50 billion—£190 million at the time—from a settlement with the UK’s National Crime Agency. Khan’s cabinet approved this settlement in 2019 without fully disclosing the confidential terms, purportedly to cover up the origins of a property tycoon’s assets.
The anti-graft watchdog filed the reference against Khan, Bushra, and others in December 2023, claiming they received valuable land from the tycoon to establish an educational institute in exchange for legal protection of the tycoon’s assets. The Al-Qadir Trust was set up shortly after the government approved the deal with the tycoon.
Several prominent figures, including former cabinet members, testified against Khan throughout the trial. The Islamabad High Court granted Khan bail in the £190 million reference, while Bushra received pre-arrest bail from the trial court. Despite the complexities and changes in the judiciary overseeing the case, the final judgment is imminent, potentially marking a significant development in Pakistani politics and law.
