Imran Khan files petition with IHC to halt £190 million case proceedings

Founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan has submitted a petition to halt the proceedings related to the £190 million reference and has challenged the trial court's order dated August 12 at the Islamabad High Court.

Imran has also requested the court to provide records of the National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) April 2020 decision to close the £190 million case.

He contends that the investigating officer stated that approval to close the case was given during NAB’s 343rd Executive Board meeting.

However, the trial court had previously rejected a request for the record of this Executive Board meeting. The decision to close the case was reportedly made in an NAB Executive Board meeting in April 2020.

Imran's petition seeks to overturn the August 12 order from the accountability court, arguing that failure to present the NAB board meeting's record could severely impact his defense.

According to the petitioner, the investigating officer acknowledged some aspects of NAB’s 343rd board meeting during cross-examination.

It is essential that the record of this meeting be presented before the trial court.

The petition names the Chairman of NAB, the Director General of NAB, and the Prosecutor General as parties involved.

In a related development, Imran's sisters, Azma Khan and Aleema Khan, have submitted a request to the Registrar Office concerning remarks made by the Chief Justice regarding the £190 million case.

They have urged the Chief Justice to recuse himself from cases involving Imran Khan and to withdraw observations related to the £190 million case from the wildlife case.

The sisters argue that the wildlife case has no relevance to the £190 million case and that the Chief Justice’s remarks could affect the trial's proceedings.

The deposed premier and others including his wife Bushera Bibi are accused of adjusting £190 million sent by Britain’s NCA to the Pakistani government.

They also face charges of receiving undue benefits in the form of over 458 kanals of land at Mouza Bakrala in Sohawa to set up the Al-Qadir University.

Later, then prime minister Imran acquired approval of the settlement with the Britain’s 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.

On May 9, Imran was arrested in connection with the case from the premises of the Islamabad High Court by dozens of Rangers personnel, triggering countrywide protests.

He was later grtanted bail in the case.