£190m case verdict reportedly deferred again

The verdict was originally scheduled for tomorrow (Monday), January 6

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An accountability court in Rawalpindi has deferred the verdict in the £190 million corruption case involving Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi, for the third time.

The verdict was originally scheduled for Monday, January 6. The court had initially reserved the verdict on December 18 following the conclusion of the arguments, with December 23 set for the judgment.

However, the announcement of the verdict has once again been delayed. Sources indicated that the lawyers involved in the case will be informed of the new date tomorrow.

The development comes amid ongoing negotiations between the PTI and the federal government, with both sides preparing for a third round of talks next week.

The government has asked PTI to submit its "charter of demands" in writing, which includes the release of "political prisoners," including party chief Imran Khan, and a judicial investigation into the events of May 9, 2023, and the November 26 crackdown.

Despite the delay in the verdict, PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram expressed that the ongoing negotiation process would not be affected, even if the party's founder is sentenced in the case.

The £190 million case, also known as the Al-Qadir Trust case, involves allegations that Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi, and others caused a significant loss to the national exchequer through a settlement between the PTI government and a property tycoon.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has been investigating the case, with testimonies from 35 witnesses, including former principal secretary Azam Khan, ex-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Pervez Khattak, and former federal minister Zubaida Jalal.

This case is one of many legal challenges faced by the incarcerated PTI leader, who has been behind bars since August 2023 following his conviction in the Toshakhana case-I.

What is the £190 million case?

The case alleges that Imran Khan and others involved adjusted Rs50 billion—equivalent to £190 million at the time—that was transferred by the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) to the Pakistani government.

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

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