In a significant development on Monday, an accountability court in Islamabad denied the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) request to extend the former Prime Minister Imran Khan Judicial Remand in the £190 million case. Instead, the court opted for a 14-day judicial remand for the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI).
Judicial Hearing Overview
Presided over by Judge Muhammad Bashir of Islamabad Accountability Court-I, the hearing included the presence of Imran, his wife Bushra Bibi, and his sisters, Aleema Khanum and Noreen Khanum, at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail. In the previous hearing, Judge Bashir instructed NAB to conclude its investigation and present a report on the same day. Recent developments involved a NAB team questioning the former prime minister at Adiala jail for an extensive 13-hour session on Sunday.
The £190 Million Settlement Case
The £190 million settlement case (approximately Rs60 billion), which came to light during Imran’s administration in 2019, revolves around the laundering of funds seized by UK authorities from a property tycoon. The UK government notified Pakistani authorities upon discovering the laundered money.
Imran was initially arrested in connection to this case on May 9. During a press conference addressing Imran’s arrest, former interior minister Rana Sanaullah claimed that the laundered amount should have been returned to the Pakistani nation and deposited in the national exchequer. However, he accused Shahzad Akbar, the former adviser to the prime minister, of acting as a front-man and establishing the Al-Qadir Trust.
Allegations and Accusations
Sanaullah stated that the Al-Qadir Trust registered two properties—one 458-kanal in Sohawa and another 240-kanal in Bani Gala. He challenged Imran to deny any involvement in the establishment of the Al-Qadir Trust, suggesting it was a facade to cover up corrupt activities. PTI chief and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were named as the sole trustees of the trust.
He further revealed that a 240-kanal piece of land in Bani Gala, valued at approximately Rs5-7 billion, was registered under the name of Farah Gogi, a close friend of Imran Khan’s wife, while Akbar had allegedly received Rs2 billion for his services. Instead of depositing the Rs60 billion into the national treasury, it ended up in the Supreme Court’s bank account, where the property tycoon under trial was returned the amount in a convoluted way, according to Sanaullah.
Conclusion
In a pivotal decision, the accountability court’s denial of the National Accountability Bureau’s request for an extension of Imran Khan Judicial Remand adds a new dimension to the £190 million case. The shift to a 14-day judicial remand signifies a critical juncture in the legal proceedings. The intricate details of the £190 million settlement case, involving allegations of money laundering and the establishment of the Al-Qadir Trust, present a complex web that continues to unravel. As the legal drama unfolds, the spotlight remains on Imran Khan and the unfolding events within the corridors of justice.