WEB DESK – The Islamabad High Court has granted bail to the former chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the high-profile 190 million pounds reference case. IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri issued the decision after hearing arguments from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecution team and Imran Khan’s counsel, Sardar Latif Khan Khosa.
Bail Details and Legal Challenges
The court set Imran Khan’s bail at Rs1 million. However, his release is delayed as he continues to serve sentences related to the cipher case, two Toshakhana cases, and the iddat case.
Court Proceedings and Prosecution’s Argument
NAB Special Prosecutor Amjad Pervaiz informed the judges that the trial against Imran Khan and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, is nearing its end. Out of 59 prosecution witnesses, 30 have already testified. The prosecution plans to reduce the remaining witnesses by 10 to 15. Pervaiz cited a Supreme Court ruling to argue against bail in such scenarios.
Indictment and Charges
In February, a Rawalpindi accountability court indicted Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi on charges of obtaining billions of rupees and land worth hundreds of kanals from Bahria Town Ltd in exchange for legalizing Rs50 billion returned to Pakistan by the UK during the previous PTI government. NAB alleges that Imran Khan played a pivotal role in transferring state funds into an account designated for Bahria Town Karachi’s land payments.
Additional Accused and Proclaimed Offenders
The reference also names prominent figures, including property tycoon Malik Riaz Hussain, his son Ahmed Ali Riaz, Mirza Shehzad Akbar, and Zulfi Bukhari. Authorities have declared them proclaimed offenders after they absconded and failed to appear in court. Farhat Shahzadi, a close friend of Bushra Bibi, and Ziaul Mustafa Nasim, a legal expert for the PTI government’s Assets Recovery Unit, are also proclaimed offenders, with their properties frozen.
Delayed Indictments
The indictment process for Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi faced several delays, initially scheduled for January 26, then deferred to January 30, February 10, and later to February 27.
Corruption Allegations
NAB’s reference asserts that the accused committed corruption and corrupt practices as defined under the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO). It highlights the roles of Imran Khan, Akbar, Malik, Bushra Bibi, and Shahzadi in the illegal transfer and misuse of state funds. The investigation findings provide sufficient incriminating evidence to proceed against the eight suspects, urging the court to try and punish them according to the law.
