An accountability court on Friday convicted former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra in the £190 million reference, sentencing them to 14 and 7 years’ rigorous imprisonment, respectively.
Khan has also been fined Rs. 1,000,000, while Bushra has been fined Rs. 500,000. Announcing the verdict, the judge said that if the convicts did not pay their fines, their sentences would be increased. Khan faces an additional six months in prison if he fails to pay the fine, while Bushra faces an additional three months. The court has also forfeited the Al-Qadir Trust property to the government, declaring it was secured through illegal means.
Khan has been found guilty of corrupt practices, while his wife has been found guilty of aiding and abetting her husband’s corrupt practices. Both convicts were present in court when the ruling was announced. Bushra was subsequently taken into custody by Adiala Jail authorities.
Ahead of the ruling’s announcement, Khan told journalists in an informal interaction that he expected a conviction in the case. After the announcement, the PTI founder said he would challenge the ruling in higher courts.
The verdict was announced after three deferrals, raising questions over its legitimacy. Initially set to be announced on Dec. 23, 2024, the ruling was delayed due to winter vacations of judiciary. It was then delayed again on Jan. 6 owing to the unavailability of the judge. On Jan. 13, the ruling was delayed for a third time after the judge said both Khan and Bushra, as well as their lawyers, had failed to appear before the court at Adiala Jail.
“The decision—fully ready and signed—is present with me today,” the judge had asserted at the time, adding he would give the suspects one last chance to attend the proceedings for the announcement of the ruling.
PTI reaction
Speaking with media after the conviction, Khan’s lawyer Faisal Chaudhry slammed the conduct of NAB, accusing it of acting as a facilitator of the government. He claimed there was no evidence to prove Khan and Bushra’s guilt. He also derided the judge, claiming the PTI would soon “expose” his “real” face. This is an about-face for the party, as both Khan and his lawyer Salman Safdar had earlier praised the conduct of the judge and said they had no issues with how the trial proceeded.
Case history
The £190 million reference was initiated against Khan, his wife, and six others—property tycoon Malik Riaz; his son Ahmed Ali Riaz; Mirza Shahzad Akbar; Zulfi Bukhari, Farhat Shahzadi; Ziaul Mustafa Nasim—over the two primary accused allegedly obtaining billions of rupees and land worth hundreds of kanals from Bahria Town Ltd. In exchange for legalizing Rs. 50 billion returned to Pakistan by the U.K. during the PTI government. The land given by Bahria Town was used to build the Al-Qadir University, while the payment was allegedly used to pay a fine owed by the property tycoon to the Supreme Court.
The reference alleged Khan played a “pivotal role in the illicit transfer of funds meant for the state of Pakistan into an account designated for the payment of land by Bahria Town, Karachi.” It further alleged that despite being given multiple opportunities to justify and provide clarification, the accused deliberately, with mala fide intention, refused to give information on one pretext or another.
NAB has claimed Akbar, chief of the Asset Recovery Unit in the PTI, played a “crucial role” in the “illegal design of the funds” meant for the state. It also accuses Malik of “actively” aiding, abetting and assisting and acting in conspiracy with the other respondents for the diversion of funds earmarked for the state.
Bushra and Farhat were alleged to play a “significant” and “crucial” role in the “illegal activities,” with the latter described as a “front woman” for Khan and his wife.
All accused apart from Khan and Bushra failed to join the investigation and are proclaimed offenders, with their assets and properties frozen.