£190 Million Case
ISLAMABAD: An Accountability Court in Pakistan rejected the acquittal plea of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in a high-profile £190 million settlement reference on Thursday.
The case revolves around alleged financial misdeeds linked to the Al-Qadir University Trust and a controversial settlement with Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA).
The court’s judge, Nasir Javed Rana, heard arguments from both sides at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail before delivering the verdict.
During the hearing, Imran Khan’s defense counsel argued that the Al-Qadir University is a trust and that the former prime minister did not gain any personal benefits from it.
They asserted that Imran Khan was not involved in any financial dealings related to the university and, therefore, should be acquitted of all charges.
However, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor contested this argument, stating that the PTI founder failed to disclose critical information regarding the £190 million settlement to his cabinet.
The prosecutor accused Imran Khan of concealing the facts and argued that the acquittal plea was not maintainable given the lack of transparency. Following these arguments, the court dismissed the plea, maintaining that the case should proceed.
Earlier, the Accountability Court had also reserved its decision on an acquittal plea filed by Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, who is also implicated in the same reference.
The case against the former prime minister, his wife, and others stems from an investigation initiated by NAB, focusing on the acquisition of hundreds of canals of land for the Al-Qadir University Trust.
The authorities allege that the transaction caused a significant loss of £190 million (equivalent to Rs50 billion at the time) to the national exchequer.
The controversy dates back to a settlement between the Pakistani government and Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA). In this agreement, approximately £190 million seized by the NCA was transferred back to Pakistan.
NAB alleges that this amount was misused, with Imran Khan and other accused parties allegedly adjusting these funds for personal or unauthorized use, bypassing legal protocols.
In connection with the case, NAB has filed a corruption reference against Imran Khan, his wife, and seven other individuals, accusing them of irregularities related to the Al-Qadir University Trust.
The trust, registered on December 26, 2019, was intended to manage the university project, but the NAB claims that it became a vehicle for questionable transactions that led to significant financial losses for Pakistan.
The court’s decision to reject the acquittal plea means that the legal proceedings will continue, with further scrutiny into the financial transactions and the role of Imran Khan and others involved in the Al-Qadir University Trust case.
This ruling represents another legal challenge for the PTI founder as he faces increasing legal and political pressure in Pakistan.
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