ISLAMABAD: The verdict of the £190 million case against incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan will be announced on January 13, Islamabad's accountability court staff confirmed on Monday.
Citing Judge Nasir Javed Rana's leave, the court staff said that the decision of the deferment of the verdict has been communicated to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor as well as the PTI's lawyer.
This is the second time that the verdict — reserved on December 18 — in the said case, also known as Also known as the Al-Qadir Trust case, has been deferred as it was previously scheduled to be announced on December 23 had was then delayed by the court.
The former prime minister along with his wife, Bushra and others have been accused by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) of causing a loss of £190 million to the national exchequer via a settlement between the PTI government and a property tycoon.
The said case is part of the plethora of legal challenges faced by the incarcerated PTI founder who has been behind bars since August last year after he was sentenced in Toshakhana case-I.
Speaking to the media today, PTI's counsel Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry — while recalling multiple deferments — said that he was informed around 8:15am that the verdict would not be announced today.
The anti-graft watchdog had filed the reference against Khan, Bushra, and others in December 2023 over the purported settlement.
As per the charges of the case, Khan and other accused allegedly adjusted Rs50 billion — £190 million at the time — sent by Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to the Pakistani government as part of the agreement with a property tycoon.
Subsequently, the then-prime minister 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.
According to NAB officials, the PTI founder and his wife obtained land worth billions of rupees from the property tycoon, to build an educational institute, in return for striking a deal to give legal cover to the property tycoon’s black money received from the UK crime agency.
Later, the Al-Qadir Trust was established in Islamabad a few weeks after the PTI-led government approved the agreement with the property tycoon.
The accountability watchdog arrested the PTI founder on November 13 last year in connection with the said case. NAB then interrogated Khan and Bushra for 17 days in the Adiala Jail.
The trial began after filing of the NAB reference on December 1, 2023. On 27 February 2024, charges were formally filed against the couple.
Notable witnesses against the PTI founder included his former cabinet member Pervez Khattak, former federal minister Zubaida Jalal, ex-principal secretary Azam Khan, and the chief financial officer of the Al-Qadir University.
The court also declared six co-accused, including Zulfi Bukhari, Farhat Shahzadi, Mirza Shahzad Akbar and Zia-ul-Mustafa Nasim, as absconders, ordering the freezing of their assets and bank accounts.
During the proceedings, the Islamabad High Court granted bail to the disqualified premier in the £190 million reference, while the trial court approved pre-arrest bail for Bushra.
The PTI founder-chairman submitted a list of 16 witnesses to the court, but the request to summon them was rejected.
Over the course of the case, four judges were replaced with Judge Muhammad Bashir, Judge Nasir Javed Rana, Judge Muhammad Ali Warraich, and then again Judge Rana presiding over the hearings.
This is a developing story and is being updated with more details.
PTI founder emphasised securing his release after proving his innocence in courts, says sister Aleema Khan
Prima facie, non-deposit of gift in Toshakhana doesn't entail action, rules Islamabad court
Premier orders top lawyers should be appointed for prosecution of human traffickers
Order was issued after KP CM and his legal counsel failed to appear in court
German official’s body recovered after missing work for two days, say police
"We salute the sacrifices of the martyred officers who have set an example of bravery," says minister