Court delays verdict in 190m pound case against Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi

A Rawalpindi accountability court decided that it will not pronounce verdict in £190 million case against PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi on Monday.The court staff informed the PTI lawyers about the decision on Sunday. The next date of hearing will be announced later.Earlier, the court on Wednesday (December 18) reserved the verdict after completing the trial. Judge Nasir Javed Rana heard the case at Adiala Jail, and the defense lawyer concluded arguments.The final hearing lasted approximately eight hours and 15 minutes, during which PTI founder and Bushra Bibi were present in court. Later, the judge fixed December 23 for announcing the decision.The NAB lawyer had completed arguments on Tuesday. The trial continued for a year.£190 million caseThe £190 million case involves a reference filed by NAB against former prime minister Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, and others in December 2023.The case centers around an alleged settlement between the PTI government and a property tycoon, which reportedly caused a loss of £190 million to Pakistan’s national exchequer.Khan and the accused are alleged to have misused £190 million sent by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) as part of the settlement. Bushra Bibi was named as an accused for her role as a trustee of the Al-Qadir Trust.Additionally, the couple is accused of receiving undue benefits, including over 458 kanals of land in Mouza Bakrala, Sohawa, for the establishment of Al-Qadir University.During Khan’s tenure, the NCA seized £190 million worth of assets from the tycoon. The assets were meant to be handed over to Pakistan, with the settlement deemed a civil matter by the NCA.However, the details of the confidential agreement were not disclosed when Khan’s cabinet approved it in December 2019. Subsequently, the Al-Qadir Trust was established in Islamabad.