ISLAMABAD: In a pivotal development, the accountability court in Islamabad has reserved its verdict on a petition seeking the acquittal of Bushra Bibi in the high-profile £190 million reference case. The decision is anticipated to be announced on September 5 (tomorrow). The hearing, overseen by Judge Nasir Javed Rana, was held at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on Wednesday. Both Bushra Bibi and PTI founder Imran Khan were presented in court for the proceedings.
However, the session faced a procedural setback when Imran Khan’s lawyer, Chaudhry Zaheer Abbas, failed to appear. This absence led to the incomplete cross-examination of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) investigating officer, Mian Umar Nadeem. During the court session, Bushra Bibi’s defense attorney, Usman Riaz Gul, argued in favor of her acquittal, contending that the evidence against her did not warrant a conviction. Conversely, NAB prosecutors Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi and Amjad Pervez opposed the acquittal petition, maintaining that the charges remain substantiated.
In a related development, the court dismissed a contempt of court petition filed by Bushra Bibi’s lawyer against the NAB chairman. The petition, which was lodged amid the ongoing arguments over the acquittal case, was deemed ineffective. The court has scheduled the cross-examination of the final NAB witness, Investigating Officer Umar Nadeem, for September 5. The outcome of these proceedings will be closely watched as it could have significant implications for both Bushra Bibi and the broader legal context of the case.
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