ISLAMABAD: On Saturday, a civil court in Islamabad declared Shahzad Akbar, former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s adviser, a ‘proclaimed offender’ in a fraud and embezzlement case.
The case was registered at the Secretariat Police Station. The move followed the issuance of arrest warrants by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for Shahzad Akbar, Zulfi Bukhari, and two others in a £190 million settlement case.
The NAB had filed a reference in the case, officially naming Imran Khan as an accused, along with seven others, including Imran’s wife Bushra Bibi, her friend Farhat Shahzadi (Farah Gogi), PTI leader Zulfi Bukhari, former accountability czar Shahzad Akbar, and Barrister Zia-ul-Mustafa Naseem.
It’s worth noting that Imran Khan was previously arrested by the NAB in the Al-Qadir Trust case, taken into custody by Rangers personnel at the Islamabad High Court premises where he sought bail in multiple cases against him.
CJP Isa Firm on Judicial Independence in Response to Imran Khan’s Election Fairness Concerns
Meanwhile, Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa has issued a response to a letter from Imran Khan, the leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), seeking a fair playing field for his party in the upcoming general elections on February 8, 2024.
In a letter from Dr. Muhammad Mushtaq Ahmad, the secretary to the chief judge, it was conveyed that Chief Justice Isa is fully aware of his constitutional responsibilities and will not succumb to pressure or show favoritism to any party. The response comes after Imran Khan raised concerns about alleged discrimination against PTI, including arrests and cases filed against its leaders.
The statement from the top court emphasized that Chief Justice Isa remains committed to fulfilling his duties and upholding the oath of his office without being influenced by external pressures. It also mentioned that an extensive seven-page application from Imran Khan was received on December 1, comprising 84 pages of typed content, tables, and photocopies.
