ISLAMABAD: An accountability court has sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan to 14 years and his wife Bushra Bibi to 7 years in prison in the £190m graft case.
The former prime minister was also fined one million rupees while his Bushra Bibi was fined 0.5 million in a case known as the £190 million corruption case or Al-Qadir Trust case.
Their sentences will be extended for six and three months if they failed to pay the fine.
The court also ordered to confiscate Al-Qadir University land.
The case, commonly referred to as the Al-Qadir Trust case, accuses PTI founding chairman, his wife Bushra Bibi, and others of causing a loss of £190 million to the national treasury through a controversial settlement between Imran Khan’s government and Bahria Town.
PTI to challenge £190m corruption case verdict
Reacting to the decision, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has announced to challenge the verdict in the 190 million pounds case against PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the higher courts.
Speaking at the National Assembly, Opposition Leader Omar Ayub strongly consumed the decision and said it will be challenged in the higher courts.
Omar Ayub said that the question should be asked to Nawaz Sharif’s son Hassan Nawaz, how did you take the money with which you bought the One Hyde Park building in London and later sold the building, what did you do with this money? Today he is running around in a daze.
On the other hand, Senator Shibli Faraz said that today is a black day. “we strongly condemn the verdict. there is no law in the country, nor the supremacy of the Constitution,” he said adding that the government did not lose a single penny due to the the Al-Qadir Trust. He said that the founders of PTI Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi did not benefit at all.
He said that those who looted this country are becoming respected, thieves are roaming free in this country while innocent people are in jail.
A senior PTI leader Faisal Ch stated, “There is not a single proof of financial corruption against us. From the first day, this judge has been seeking a verdict. We will expose these judges too.” He further criticized the court, claiming, “A person has been brought up who has set an example of dishonesty,” and termed the verdict as “frivolous in a frivolous case.”
Bushra Bibi arrested from Adaila jail
After the court announced its much-anticipated verdict, Bushra Bibi was arrested from the court premises inside the Adiala jail. Bushra Bibi earlier today had arrived in Adiala jail for hearing the court verdict. She was present inside the court when the judge was announcing the verdict of £190 million corruption case.
Court declared Malik Riaz proclaimed offender in £190m graft case
The accountability court declared property tycoon Malik Riaz proclaimed offender in the £190m graft case.
Malik Riaz was the prime accused in the case who donated 458 kanals of valuable land to Al-Qadir Trust University as a bribe for £190 million settlement with the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA).
Court declares Zulfi Bukhari proclaimed offender in £190m corruption case
The accountability court also declared Zulfi Bukhari, a close associate of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding leader Imran Khan, a proclaimed offender in the £190 million corruption case.
The court also ordered the seizure of properties belonging to Zulfi Bukhari.
On September 1, the NAB filed a petition in an accountability court, seeking the seizure of properties owned by PTI leader Zulfi Bukhari.
Huge contingent of police reaches Al-Qadir University
Following the court’s decision, a heavy contingent of police has been deployed outside Al-Qadir University in Sohawa, while male and female students remain inside the university and hostel.
The police have stated that they are present to assess the law and order situation at the university
The court ruled that the couple was found involved in corruption and bribery. The court announced the verdict in the presence of PTI founding chairman Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.
Chairman PTI Barrister Gohar, Imran Khan’s lawyers, sister Aleema Khan and other party leadership were also present in the court.
Court declares Farah Gogi, Shahzad Akbar proclaimed offenders in mega corruption case
The court also declared former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s advisors on accountability Shahbaza Akbar and Bushra Bibi Farah Gogi proclaimed offenders in the mega corruption case.
The case, commonly referred to as the Al-Qadir Trust case, accuses PTI founding chairman, his wife Bushra Bibi, and others of causing a loss of £190 million to the national treasury through a controversial settlement between Imran Khan’s government and Bahria Town.
The Accountability Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana announced the reserved verdict at Adiala Jail, where PTI founding is incarcerated. Imran Khan changed 12 lawyers during the hearings lasted for around 22 months.
The verdict was reserved on December 18 and delayed thrice before.
The reference in the 190 million pound case was filed on December 1, 2023. The case has had more than 100 hearings.
What is the £190 million case?
The anti-graft watchdog NAB alleges that Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi helped Malik Riaz benefit from a £190 million settlement with the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and received 458 kanals of valuable land for Al-Qadir Trust University as a bribe from the property tycoon.
In October 2022 last year, NAB had started investigating the matter.
According to NAB documents, on December 3, 2019, in a cabinet meeting chaired by Imran Khan, it was decided to indirectly transfer back the Rs50 billion received by Malik Riaz from the UK. This money was seized by the British National Crime Agency (NCA) from property tycoon Malik Riaz on charges of money laundering.
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan had registered a trust for the Al-Qadir University project within weeks of the cabinet decision on December 26, 2019 regarding the real estate developer, which later became the donor for the university.
According to NAB, just 3 weeks before the registration of the trust, Imran Khan’s cabinet had decided to indirectly return the money received by Pakistan through the National Crime Agency to Malik Riaz.
Taking notice of the corruption and corrupt practices in this case, NAB Rawalpindi summoned all the members present in the cabinet meeting on December 3, 2019, including Pervez Khattak, Fawad Chaudhry and Sheikh Rashid, on separate dates under the NAB Ordinance 1999.
The investigation revealed that the agenda for the meeting, titled “Freezing of accounts of Ahmed Ali Riaz, his family, and Messrs Bahria Town, and order for transfer of funds to Pakistan,” was presented by the then-Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Accountability, Shehzad Akbar.
NAB also summoned Ahmed Ali Riaz, Malik Riaz’s son, in connection with the case.
The anti-graft watchdog accuses Imran Khan and his cabinet of misuse of authority, financial gain, and negligence by allowing funds seized by the NCA to be funneled back to Malik Riaz instead of depositing them in the national treasury.
The funds were used to settle Malik Riaz’s debt in the Bahria Town Karachi case, bypassing state interests.
The cabinet decision, sealed as sensitive, prevented public access to the details of the deal. NAB claims this lack of transparency raises serious questions about the misuse of state funds.
The court recorded statements from 35 witnesses including Imran Khan’s close aides Pervez Khattak and his principal secretary Azam Khan.
£190 million case timeline
2019: Imran Khan along with his wife Bushra Bibi, and close aide Zulfiqar Bukhari established Al-Qadir Trust. Imran and his spouse Bushra Bibi obtained billions of rupees and land worth hundreds of kanals from Bahria Town for Al-Qadir University.
December 2019: The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) seized assets worth £190 million from property tycoon Malik Riaz. These funds were repatriated to Pakistan during Imran Khan’s tenure as Prime Minister.
In December 2024, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed a corruption reference against Imran and seven others, including his wife, in connection with the Al-Qadir University. The NAB reference stated that Imran Khan, then the prime minister, obtained land for their trust from Malik Riaz to build an educational institute in return for releasing an amount of £190 million to a property tycoon in 2020. The deal with Malik Riaz caused a loss of more than $239m to the national exchequer.
May 9, 2023: Imran Khan was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust case, alleging misuse of authority in the settlement with Malik Riaz, causing a £190 million loss to the national exchequer.
May 11, 2023: The Supreme Court declared Imran Khan’s arrest unlawful and ordered his immediate release.
May 12, 2023: The Islamabad High Court granted Imran Khan bail in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
Feb 27, 2023: Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were indicted in the £190 million Al-Qadar Trust reference.
December 11, 2024: Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi recorded their statements under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Dec 18, 2024: The accountability court reserved its verdict in the case against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi with the judgment scheduled for December 23, 2024.
The verdict was originally scheduled to be announced on December 23, after reserving its decision on December 18. The verdict was deferred thrice before,
