Editor
On Monday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued a brief keep, stopping the trial court docket from delivering its remaining judgment within the £190 million corruption case involving former prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse, Bushra Bibi.
A two-judge bench, consisting of Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Babar Sattar, heard Khan’s petition requesting the submission of information from the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) earlier determination to shut the case.
During the session, Barrister Salman Safdar, representing Imran Khan, highlighted that the case initially included eight accused, of which six have been at present at giant.
“A complete of 35 witnesses have testified up to now, with the cross-examination of the ultimate witness in progress,” Barrister Safdar knowledgeable the court docket.
He elaborated on the accusations towards his consumer, stating that Khan was alleged to have facilitated a £190 million transaction throughout his tenure as prime minister. “The funds in query, in keeping with NAB, have been meant for a financial institution however have been as a substitute deposited into the Supreme Court’s account,” Safdar added.
Addressing claims about Al-Qadir University, Barrister Safdar asserted that the establishment, established underneath the Al-Qadir Trust, was absolutely operational and never a ‘ghost challenge’ as alleged by the federal government.
Justice Hassan queried whether or not the belief accountable for the college’s institution was formally registered. Barrister Safdar confirmed the registration and warranted the court docket that extra paperwork can be supplied on the subsequent listening to.
The court docket cautioned Barrister Safdar towards any makes an attempt to delay the proceedings, warning that the keep order on the trial court docket’s judgment may very well be revoked if such ways continued.
Subsequently, the IHC restrained the trial court docket from saying its verdict and directed NAB to submit its response by Wednesday. The court docket additionally emphasised that the trial would proceed as scheduled.
Case Background
NAB initiated an inquiry into the Al-Qadir University Trust, now known as the £190 million case, in March 2023, upgrading it to an investigation on April 28.
According to NAB, Khan and his spouse acquired substantial sums of cash and enormous tracts of land from Malik Riaz of Bahria Town in alternate for Rs50 billion.
This quantity had been paid as a part of a settlement with the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and was subsequently adjusted towards a tremendous imposed on Malik Riaz by the Supreme Court.
In May of the earlier 12 months, the PTI chairman was arrested by Rangers on the IHC premises whereas in search of bail in a number of FIRs filed towards him. The IHC later declared his arrest lawful.
In February, Khan and Bushra Bibi have been formally charged within the £190 million corruption reference by NAB throughout a listening to held on the Adiala Jail accountability court docket. Both denied the allegations towards them.
