Court orders to freeze accounts, assets of Shahzad Akbar, Zulfi Bukhari

Court directs authorities to seize vehicles registered in the names of accused

ISLAMABAD:

An accountability court in Islamabad ordered on Tuesday the freezing of all assets and bank accounts of 'absconding' Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Shehzad Akbar and Zulfiqar Bukhari in the £190 million case.

Judge Muhammad Bashir, presiding over the Toshakhana and £190 million references today, also issued the same order for other accused in the case including Farah Gogi, lawyer Zia Mustafa, and other party leaders.

The court also ordered authorities to seize all vehicles registered in the name of the accused. 

During the hearing of the case on Monday, the accountability court issued permanent arrest warrants for all accused.

Read Judge orders Imran to be presented in court on Nov 27 in £190 million case

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) also submitted the asset particulars of the six individuals accused in the £190 million scam case involving former prime minister Imran Khan and others.

The case revolves around allegations of corruption and abuse of authority linked to a financial settlement during the PTI’s tenure, which reportedly incurred a £190 million loss to the national exchequer.

NAB launched an inquiry into the scandal earlier this year. The inquiry transitioned into an investigation on April 30, leading to Imran Khan’s sudden arrest at the Islamabad High Court premises on May 9.

This arrest triggered widespread protests nationwide. Subsequently, the Supreme Court declared Imran’s arrest on May 9 as illegal.

On December 1, NAB filed a corruption reference against the former prime minister, his wife, and other suspects in an Islamabad accountability court.

The reference names a total of eight individuals, including Farhat Shahzadi aka Farah Gogi, PTI leader Zulfi Bukhari, Shahzad Akbar, and Barrister Zia-ul-Mustafa Naseem.