Verdict in 190 mn pounds Al-Qadir case against Imran Khan his wife to be announced on Jan 13

     Islamabad, Jan 6 (PTI) A Pakistan court on Monday postponed until January 13 its verdict in the 190 million pounds Al-Qadir Trust corruption case against former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi.
     Judge Nasir Javed Rana of the anti-corruption court had completed the hearing on December 18 but reserved the judgment until December 23. Later he fixed January 6 as the new date for announcing the verdict, Geo News reported.
     Noting that Judge Rana was on leave on Monday, the court staff said that the decision would now be announced on January 13.
     The court also informed about the deferment of the verdict to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor as well as his lawyer.
     The postponement comes amidst the ongoing negotiation between the government and Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to address the political instability in the country due to the imprisonment of the former premier and several other leaders of the party.
     So far two rounds of talks have been held and another is expected this week.
     The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in December 2023 filed the case against Khan (72), Bibi (50) and six others, accusing them of causing a loss to the tune of 190 million pounds (PRs50 billion) to the national kitty.
     However, Khan and Bibi have been prosecuted as all others, including a property tycoon, were out of the country.
     Both Khan and Bibi are accused in the case, which revolves around allegations that PRs50 billion, returned to Pakistan by the UK’s National Crime Agency as part of a settlement with a property tycoon was misused.
     The funds were reportedly intended for the national treasury but were allegedly redirected for the personal benefit of the businessman who helped Bibi and Khan to set up a university.
     Bibi, as a trustee of the Al-Qadir Trust, is accused of benefiting from this settlement, including acquiring 458 kanals of land for Al-Qadir University in Jhelum.
     Meanwhile, Khan criticised the deferment of the verdict and termed it a pressure tactic by the government.
     Aleema Khan, Khan’s sister, speaking to reporters outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, shared that Khan described the delay as an attempt to keep a "sword hanging over his neck".
     She said Khan wanted the verdict to be delivered so the world should know the nature of the case, adding that he was committed to fighting the charges through legal means.
     She also rejected any suggestions of behind-the-scenes negotiations, reiterating that Khan was focused on proving his innocence and would challenge any conviction in a higher court.
     She said that Khan outlined a two-point agenda for the negotiations with the government, including the release of political prisoners and the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the May 9, 2023 and November 26, 2024 incidents.
     Aleema also alleged that the government was trying to force her brother into an NRO-style deal, first attempting to send him abroad for three years and later offering him house arrest in exchange for silence.
     The term NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) entered Pakistan political language after former military ruler Pervez Musharraf issued an ordinance in 2007 to withdraw all cases against Benazir Bhutto and her spouse Asif Ali Zardari.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)