£190 Million Case
RAWALPINDI: An accountability court in Rawalpindi has handed a 14-page questionnaire to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in connection with the £190 million settlement case.
The questionnaire, which includes 79 questions related to the reference, was given to the couple as part of their final statements under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1898.
During the last hearing, their counsel, Salman Safdar, received the questionnaire in the presence of both accused. The court has instructed Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi to submit their responses by November 11, 2024.
A copy of the questionnaire reveals that the court has questioned Imran Khan about whether he and his associates illegally gained “monetary benefits,” including 458 kanals of land. The court is probing if this land was received in exchange for facilitating the “illegal and dishonest transfer/adjustment of £171.159 million out of £190 million,” which was intended for the State of Pakistan.
The court’s evidence points to the involvement of Shahzad Akbar, the former special assistant on accountability, who allegedly acted “in connivance and with the active knowledge” of Imran Khan. The court referenced a note dated December 2, 2019, that Akbar allegedly submitted to the former prime minister, which misrepresented information about the frozen funds in the UK.
The note, according to the court, falsely implied that these funds would be returned to the State of Pakistan. It also mischaracterized the land purchase agreement as a fine and falsely indicated that the Supreme Court’s account was being used for the benefit of Pakistan.
Additionally, the court highlighted that Imran Khan, during his tenure as prime minister, allegedly instructed that the note be added to the cabinet agenda without prior circulation, in violation of the 1973 rules of business.
The court sought his response regarding this action, which was reportedly influenced by Shahzad Akbar. The note was subsequently approved without any discussion during the December 3 cabinet meeting, as Imran Khan allegedly insisted on passing paragraph 10 of the note without deliberation.
The November 7 hearing marked a significant stage in the case, as Imran Khan’s legal team completed the cross-examination of the 35th and final witness at Adiala jail. This brought the case closer to its conclusion, with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) lawyers indicating that they would not be presenting further evidence.
The cross-examination of witnesses had started on July 30, and after 20 hearings over three months, the process was concluded. Bushra Bibi’s lawyer, Usman Gul, completed his cross-examination in 14 hearings.
The £190 million case revolves around allegations that Imran Khan and other accused individuals adjusted Rs50 billion — equivalent to £190 million at the time — sent by Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to the Pakistani government. This money was part of a settlement with a prominent property tycoon.
In December 2019, Imran Khan’s cabinet approved the settlement with the UK crime agency, but the details of the confidential agreement were not disclosed. The settlement arranged for the money to be submitted to the Supreme Court on behalf of the tycoon.
NAB officials allege that in exchange for this settlement, Imran Khan and his wife received land worth billions of rupees from the property tycoon to establish an educational institution. This land, according to the charges, was acquired in return for providing legal cover to the tycoon’s black money received from the UK crime agency. The case has now reached its final stages, with the court awaiting responses from the accused regarding the detailed questionnaire.
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