£190m case: Bushra Bibi's non-bailable arrest warrants issued

The court has given the NAB time until Nov. 26 to present Bushra Bibi.

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An accountability court in Islamabad has issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Bushra Bibi, wife of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, in connection with the £190 million corruption case.

The court has instructed the NAB to arrest Bushra Bibi and present her in court by November 26, Express News reported.

During the hearing today, Bushra Bibi’s lawyer had again requested an exemption from attending the hearing on medical grounds, citing a report from Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital. However, NAB raised objections, stating that the notarised medical documents were issued in Islamabad, not in Peshawar.

Despite the absence of Bushra Bibi, Imran Khan, the founder of PTI, appeared in court but failed to submit his statement under section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

This marks the eighth consecutive hearing that Bushra Bibi has missed in the ongoing case.

The £190 million case pertains to allegations of financial misconduct and corruption. Bushra Bibi and Imran Khan have both faced accusations related to illicit financial dealings, with the National Accountability Bureau continuing its investigation into their actions during Imran Khan's tenure as prime minister.

NAB has repeatedly raised concerns over Bushra Bibi’s non-cooperation in the case, as she has been absent from eight hearings of the £190 million reference.

The court’s decision to issue the arrest warrant underscores the seriousness with which the court is treating Bushra Bibi’s continued non-appearance in the case. It remains to be seen whether the NAB will be able to present her in court by the November 26 deadline.

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.