Imran, wife challenge £190m case verdict

Move separate petitions in IHC, claim govt pursuing political vendetta against them

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ISLAMABAD:

Former prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi have approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) challenging the verdict of an accountability court that convicted them in the £190m corruption case on January 17.

Imran's petition contended that his conviction is unjust, unfair, and appears to be a direct manifestation of political victimization orchestrated by his adversaries and the incumbent government.

"Since the unconstitutional removal of Appellant from the office of Prime Minister, he has been a victim to nearly 280 Criminal Prosecutions, highlighting the relentless and targeted nature of these legal actions.

"The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has been visibly manipulated as a political tool by the Appellant's political opponents, with its resources repeatedly used to settle political scores," it said.

The plea stated that Imran's conviction and sentence in the case represented NAB's third attempt to target and victimize him politically.

The central aim of this prosecution, it claimed, appeared to be to ensure their incarceration, preventing his participation in Pakistan's national politics and further obstructing his political influence.

It said PTI founder Imran Khan has been a victim of repeated prosecutions, each of which has culminated in convictions that have, in turn, led to bails, suspended sentences, and eventual acquittals.

"These legal outcomes have conclusively demonstrated that the Appellant does not exhibit any criminal tendencies or engage in unlawful activities.

"It is crucial to note that in all these Prosecutions, no private individual has been aggrieved, and the Cases have been initiated and pursued by the State at the behest of political adversaries.

"Given the status of Appellant as a Political Prisoner, and the ongoing, unprecedented, and relentless political victimization, he has faced calls for an honorable Acquittal.

"Such an Acquittal would not only rectify the manifest injustice but also reaffirm the fundamental principles of fairness and impartiality that should guide the judicial process," it added.