Accountability Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana delivered the verdict in the Al-Qadir Trust case on Friday at Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi. The court found former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, guilty of corrupt practices. Both individuals were present during the judgment alongside their legal representatives.
Khan was fined one million rupees, while Bushra Bibi was fined five hundred thousand rupees. Failure to pay these fines would result in an additional six months of imprisonment for Khan and three months for his wife. Furthermore, the court ordered that Al-Qadir University be placed under government custody.
Speaking to reporters from Adiala Jail on Thursday, Khan claimed he was being targeted unfairly, stating, “I have neither gained personal benefit nor caused any financial loss to the government.” He added that Bushra Bibi was “entirely innocent” and included in the case solely to pressure him.
The Rawalpindi Accountability Court sentenced Khan to 14 years in prison and Bushra Bibi to seven years. This latest conviction adds to Khan’s ongoing legal battles, following his arrest by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on May 9, 2023, in connection with the same case.
The ‘190-million-pound reference’
The case, often referred to as the “190-million-pound reference,” revolves around allegations that Khan and Bibi received land for Al-Qadir University from property tycoon Malik Riaz in exchange for illicit benefits. NAB claims Riaz donated the land in return for Rs. 50 billion worth of benefits facilitated by Khan during his tenure as prime minister.
Following the verdict, Bushra Bibi was taken into custody by prison authorities. Their lawyer, Barrister Faisal Chaudhry, criticized the ruling as politically motivated, accusing the judiciary of undermining justice. Chaudhry announced plans to appeal the decision in the High Court.
This article was originally published at www.jpost.com
