The £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case has become a symbol of the web of political intrigue that embroils Pakistan’s judiciary.
An accountability court in Islamabad has once again deferred announcing the ruling it reserved on Dec. 18, 2024. Initially set for Dec. 23, court officials delayed the verdict until Jan. 6, citing upcoming winter vacations. Subsequently, the court announced another delay until Jan. 13 over the absence of the presiding judge. Today, the court deferred the ruling until Jan. 17, with the judge blaming the absence of both accused: former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra.
The PTI accuses the government of orchestrating delays to pressure Imran Khan, while the PMLN alleges that its rival party seeks to foster the impression of a backroom deal. Supporting both narratives are ongoing talks between the opponents, with each side admitting a potential guilty verdict risks scuttling the entire process. The ultimate victim, however, is the judiciary, whose inability to deliver a timely verdict undermines its impartiality. For ordinary citizens, these delays are a grim reminder that the scales of justice tip not by evidence but by the weight of political influence. They also ensure the verdict has become irrelevant even before its announcement.
The delays go well beyond the tussle between the government and opposition, tarnishing the judiciary’s credibility and the very notion of an independent legal process in Pakistan. A single delay can prove damaging to public trust, but when justice is delayed this egregiously, it threatens the very foundation of a society governed by the rule of law.
The case against Khan and his wife might be legitimate and straightforward. Reaching that conclusion, however, requires the announcement of the verdict so it can proceed to high courts. If the judiciary wants to salvage its integrity, it must act decisively and deliver a verdict that upholds the rule of law, free from political influence. Failure to do so will cement the perception of Pakistan’s judicial process as a rusted machine, creaking under the weight of political meddling and incapable of delivering justice.