16 witnesses listed in £190m case
The defence lawyers provided a list of 16 witnesses to the court in the 190 million pounds reference against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi.
However, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) lawyers termed the witnesses list a delaying tactic.
Accountability Court Islamabad Judge Nasir Javed Rana heard the 190 million pounds reference at Adiala Jail. The PTI founder was produced before the court while Bushra Bibi did not appear before the court. Her counsel submitted a request for a one-day exemption from appearance on medical ground. The court granted the request.
The defence lawyers submitted the list of 16 witnesses and requested the court to summon them. The NAB counsel contended that the court has an authority to summon judicial witnesses and the prosecution has no objection on it, requesting the court to take it up for suitable time.
As per criminal procedures code, the accused have to answer the questions after completion of the witnesses' testimonies, the NAB lawyers submitted. They requested the court that the accused be made to answer the questionnaires.
They said the accused also have a right to produce witnesses in their defence, adding the purpose of summoning 16 witnesses at that point is to prolong the case proceedings.
The court reserved the NAB lawyers' request of summoning the 16 witnesses at a later stage.
The defence lawyers' witnesses list include vice chancellor, Govt College University Lahore; Ahmed Nawaz Sukhera, former secretary, Cabinet Division; chairman, Higher Education Commission (HEC) Punjab, Dr Amjadur Rehman, Talib Hussain, Ali Javaid, Syed Mahmood Ali, Syed Munawwar Hussain, Abdul Hamid Khan, Muhammad Arsalan and Khurram Awan. Ahmed Nawaz Sukehra served as Cabinet Division secretary in 2022.
The NAB lawyers told the court that they had no objection on Bushra Bibi's request for exemption from court's hearing on medical ground but a pleader be appointed along with the request as per law.
Directing PTI founder Imran Khan to submit his statement, the court adjourned the hearing till Wednesday (today). Lawyers Usman Gul and Chaudhry Zaheer Abbas appeared on behalf of the accused while Amjad Pervaiz and Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi appeared along with NAB legal team. PTI founder Imran Khan's three sisters and others were present in the court during the case hearing.