Verdict on £190m reference to be announced Monday at Adiala Jail

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The verdict in the £190 million reference case against PTI founder Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi will be announced tomorrow at Adiala Jail. The staff of the Accountability Court has formally informed the legal team of the PTI founder regarding the decision, Express News reported.

According to Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry, the lawyer for the PTI founder, the staff of the Islamabad Accountability Court officially notified them that the verdict for the £190 million reference will be announced at Adiala Jail on Monday.

It is noteworthy that the Accountability Court had previously postponed the verdict in this case twice. The last hearing was held on December 18, 2024, at Adiala Jail. The decision will be delivered in the presence of both Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.

Initially, the verdict was set for December 23, 2024, but the court delayed it and rescheduled it for January 6. The new date for the decision is now set for January 13. The trial of the £190 million reference was completed within a year. This is the only case involving Imran Khan that has taken one year to conclude.

On November 13, 2023, NAB (National Accountability Bureau) arrested Imran Khan. After 17 days of interrogation at Adiala Jail, the £190 million reference was filed in the Accountability Court on December 1, 2023.

The court formally indicted Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi on February 27, 2024. During the trial, statements from a total of 35 witnesses were recorded in the reference.

Notably, former principal secretary Azam Khan, former chief minister Pervez Khattak, and former federal minister Zubaida Jalal also gave statements in the case.

Throughout the trial, the case saw four different judges. Initially, Judge Mohammad Bashir presided over the hearings, followed by Judge Nasir Javed Rana. The case was later heard by Judge Mohammad Ali Waraich, before returning to Judge Nasir Javed Rana for the final proceedings.

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.