The 190 million-pound case’s verdict was postponed for the third time to January 17.

The verdict in the corruption case against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, the founders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), worth 190 million pounds and handled by the Al-Qadir Trust, has been postponed once more.

The accountability court’s judge, Nasir Javed Rana, said Monday that the ruling would be rendered on January 17 and departed the courtroom.

The judge has reportedly been seated in the Adiala Jail’s makeshift courtroom since 9:00 am. Around 10:30 am, the accused were brought before the court, who then declared that the case would be adjourned until January 17. The court voiced his outrage about the accused and their attorneys’ absence.

The verdict in Adiala Jail was supposed to be announced by the court earlier at 11:00 am.

On December 18, 2024, the court reserved the ruling, which is worth mentioning. It was initially stated that the decision would be made on December 23. Afterward, it was postponed until January 6.

The NAB recorded the statements of 35 witnesses during the trial, which was finished in a year. The witnesses were cross-examined by the PTI founder’s attorney.

Prominent witnesses in the case include former federal minister Zubaida Jalal, former chief minister Pervez Khattak, and former principal secretary Azam Khan. The defendants were charged on February 27 of last year.

WHAT IS THE MATTER?

In the case worth 190 million pounds, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) made a reference against former prime minister Imran Khan, his spouse Bushra Bibi, and other individuals in December 2023.

The PTI government and a real estate mogul allegedly reached a deal that cost the national exchequer £190 million, which is at the heart of the issue.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) of the United Kingdom sent £190 million as part of the settlement, which Khan and the other accused are accused of misusing. Being a trustee of the Al-Qadir Trust led to Bushra Bibi’s inclusion on the list of accused.

Furthermore, the couple is charged with getting excessive benefits, such as more than 458 kanals of land in Mouza Bakrala, Sohawa, for the construction of Al-Qadir University.

The NCA seized assets from the tycoon valued at £190 million during Khan’s reign. Pakistan was supposed to get the assets, and the NCA ruled that the settlement was a civil matter.

In December 2019, Khan’s cabinet authorized the confidential arrangement, but no details were made public. The agreement said that the money would be submitted to the Supreme Court on behalf of the real estate magnate.

Later, in Islamabad, the Al-Qadir Trust was founded. Zulfi Bukhari, Bushra Bibi, Babar Awan, and her close friend Farah Khan, all PTI leaders, have been named as members of the trust. The land was purportedly given up by the real estate tycoon for the establishment of an educational institution in exchange for legal protection.