£190 million case: Case adjourned without any progress due to roadblocks

An accountability court in Islamabad adjourned the hearing of the £190 million reference against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi.

The court adjourned the proceedings without any action, citing logistical challenges, Express News reported.

Judge Nasir Javed Rana presided over the case at the judicial complex in Islamabad, where the court had intended to continue hearing the defence's cross-examination of the National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) final witness. However, road closures prevented the proceedings from taking place at Adiala Jail, where Imran Khan is currently being held.

Due to these circumstances, the court adjourned the hearing until Monday, October 7, for further action on the reference.

The £190 million case involves allegations of corruption and misuse of funds.

The defence had planned to continue cross-examining NAB’s final witness during the session. However, with no further developments, the court will resume its deliberations on the matter next week.

The delay in proceedings adds to the long-running legal challenges faced by Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, who both deny any wrongdoing in the case.

What is the £190 million case?

The case alleges that Imran Khan and others involved adjusted Rs 50 billion—equivalent to £190 million at the time—that was transferred by the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) to the Pakistani government. This sum was part of a settlement with a property tycoon.

As Prime Minister, Khan obtained cabinet approval for this settlement on December 3, 2019, without disclosing the confidential details of the agreement. The arrangement stipulated that the funds would be submitted to the Supreme Court on behalf of the tycoon.

According to NAB officials, Khan and his wife received land worth billions of rupees from the property tycoon, intended for the construction of an educational institute.