Court reserves verdict in €190 million return to Al-Qadir Trust against Imran Khan, his wife

Judge Nasir Javed Rana reserves his decision after eight and a half hours of hearing and will announce the verdict on December 23. The case was a political vendetta, says defense lawyer, Barrister Salman Safdar.

RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi accountability court on Wednesday reserved its verdict in the 190 million Al-Qadir Trust corruption case against former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi.

Justice Nasir Javed Rana reserved the verdict for December 23. The accountability court reserved its decision after counsel for PTI founder Khan and his wife concluded final arguments in the case. The prosecution team had finished its arguments a day earlier.

The court had indicted the incarcerated ex-prime minister and former first lady in a high-profile corruption case on February 27, 2024.

During the year-long trial, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) recorded testimonies of 35 witnesses, including former principal secretary Azam Khan, former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Pervez Khattak and former minister Federal Zubaida Jalal.

During the hearing held at Adiala jail for eight and a half hours, lawyer Salman Safdar argued that it was a case of political revenge, adding that the defense had been exonerated in previous cases.

He said the case also involved PML-N President Nawaz Sharif's son Hassan Nawaz and yet the latter was not included in the proceedings.

The reference was made to target a specific couple. Before becoming prime minister, the PTI founder was known as a social worker, collecting donations worth billions of rupees, he said.

Safdar also pointed out that half of the case revolved around Malik and yet, he was not part of the ongoing proceedings.

Political vengeance became so indiscriminate that social work was also targeted. Not even a penny entered the pockets of the accused, he maintained.

The defense lawyer also argued that the NAB had changed its position in the reference now saying that it was a matter of conflict of interest.

He argued that no personal advantage had been gained in this case, no settlement agreement was present, no National Crime Agency witnesses were present and no land had not been transferred to the name of Bushra Bibis.

NAB prosecutor Amjad Pervaiz said the watchdog had not backed down from the case or changed its stance on the allegations.

He was asked what the need was that led to a violation of the firm's operating rules to obtain his approval.

The PTI founder, as prime minister, approved the illegal inflow of money into Pakistan, he maintained.

Our position is not that the PTI founder and his wife enjoyed personal financial benefits. Our position is that the PTI founder approved the illegal settlement, he added.

He added that the prosecution had presented two of the former members of the Prime Minister's office as witnesses, noting: “The accused had the opportunity to present any of the members of his office in his defence.”

He added that neither Imran nor Bushra denied their relationship with Farah Gogi.

PTI questions needed for long hearing

Reacting to today's proceedings, the PTI questioned the need for a lengthy hearing and asked if there was any doubt over the verdict.

Speaking to the media after the hearing, Imran's sister Aleema Khanum said it appeared the judge had already made up his mind and that her brother would be sentenced on Monday.

Meanwhile, lawyer Salman Safdar, the couple's lawyer, said he was confident the couple would be acquitted.

NAB case 190 million

The NAB had filed an appeal against Khan, Bushra and others in December 2023.

The couple is facing an NAB investigation into a settlement between the PTI government and a real estate tycoon, which allegedly caused a loss of 190 million euros to the national exchequer.

According to the charges, Khan and other accused at the time allegedly adjusted the Rs 50.19 trillion sent by the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) to the Pakistani government as part of the deal with the tycoon. real estate.

Bushra was named as a defendant in the case as a trustee of the Al-Qadir Trust.

They are also accused of obtaining undue advantage in the form of over 458 kanals of land in Mouza Bakrala, Sohawa, to establish Al Qadir University.

Under the PTI government, the NCA seized assets worth 190 million from the real estate tycoon in Britain.

The British agency said the assets would be transferred to the government of Pakistan and that the settlement with the Pakistani real estate tycoon was a civil matter and did not constitute a guilty verdict.

Subsequently, Khan, then prime minister, obtained approval from his cabinet for the settlement with the UK's crime agency on December 3, 2019, without disclosing details of the confidential agreement.

It was decided that the money would be submitted to the Supreme Court on behalf of the tycoon.

Subsequently, the Al-Qadir Trust was established in Islamabad weeks after the PTI-led government approved the deal with the real estate tycoon.

This is a developing story and is being updated with more details.

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