Barrister Safdar confirmed the registration and assured the court that additional documents would be provided at the next hearing
ISLAMABAD: On Monday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued a temporary stay, preventing the trial court from delivering its final judgment in the £190 million corruption case involving former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi. The decision came from a two-judge bench, composed of Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Babar Sattar, who were hearing Khan’s petition requesting the submission of records from the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) earlier decision to close the case.
During the session, Barrister Salman Safdar, representing Imran Khan, informed the court that the case originally included eight accused individuals, of whom six were currently at large. He further noted that 35 witnesses had testified so far, with the cross-examination of the final witness ongoing. Barrister Safdar explained the accusations against Khan, stating that he was alleged to have facilitated a £190 million transaction during his tenure as prime minister. According to NAB, the funds in question were intended for a bank but were instead deposited into the Supreme Court’s account.
Addressing allegations about Al-Qadir University, Barrister Safdar asserted that the institution, established under the Al-Qadir Trust, was fully operational and not a ‘ghost project’ as claimed by the government. Justice Hassan inquired whether the trust responsible for the university’s establishment was officially registered. Barrister Safdar confirmed the registration and assured the court that additional documents would be provided at the next hearing.
The court cautioned Barrister Safdar against any attempts to delay the proceedings, warning that the stay order on the trial court’s judgment could be revoked if such tactics persisted. Subsequently, the IHC restrained the trial court from announcing its verdict and directed NAB to submit its response by Wednesday. The court also emphasized that the trial would proceed as scheduled.
NAB initiated an inquiry into the Al-Qadir University Trust, now referred to as the £190 million case, in March 2023, later upgrading it to an investigation on April 28. According to NAB, Khan and his wife allegedly acquired substantial sums of money and large tracts of land from Malik Riaz of Bahria Town in exchange for Rs50 billion. This amount had been paid as part of a settlement with the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and was subsequently adjusted against a fine imposed on Malik Riaz by the Supreme Court.
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