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- May 15, 2024
- Kainat Shakeel
- 0
PTI founder Imran Khan’s bail request in the 190 million pound corruption case was granted by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday. Sardar Latif Khan Khosa, Imran’s attorney, and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecution team had wrapped up their arguments a day prior, when a two-member bench, consisting of IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, reserved the decision. Imran will not be allowed to leave prison while he is still serving out his terms in the cipher and iddat cases, despite the court setting his bail at Rs. 1 million today. The IHC issued a suspension of his sentences in two different Toshakhana cases.
NAB Special Prosecutor Amjad Pervaiz had told the court during his closing arguments on Tuesday that the ex-premier and his spouse’s trial was about to come to an end. He stated that thirty of the 59 prosecution witnesses had already testified, and the prosecution would present the other witnesses for recording statements after reducing the number of remaining witnesses by ten to fifteen. He referenced a ruling by the Supreme Court that denied bail requests under certain circumstances. The court ruling dated today, a copy of which can be found on Dawn.com, states that the investigation into the case is finished and that Imran’s “continued incarceration” would be for no purpose.
It stated that, as a political figure, the prosecution had voiced concern that Imran would falsify the evidence or sway the verdict; however, nothing in the case file supported the mentioned concern. “After being arrested in the aforementioned reference, the petitioner is admitted to bail and granted bail, provided that they furnish bail bonds totaling Rs. 1 million,” the statement stated. It further stated that the trial court would not be prejudiced in its decision to refer Imran because the observations were provisional. In February, an accountability court in Rawalpindi charged Imran and his spouse Bushra Bibi.
The NAB had lodged a corruption reference against Imran and seven other people, including his spouse, about Al-Qadir University in December. In exchange for legalizing Rs 50 billion that the UK had discovered and repatriated to the nation during the previous PTI government, the case claims that Imran and Bushra Bibi received billions of rupees and land valued at hundreds of canals from Bahria Town Ltd. Imran is presently serving a jail sentence for his alleged “pivotal role in the illicit transfer of funds meant for the state of Pakistan into an account designated for the payment of land by Bahria Town, Karachi,” according to the NAB reference. The allegation was that the accused purposefully and knowingly with ill will refused to offer information on various pretexts, even though they were presented with numerous chances to explain and provide details.
Among the suspects in this reference are property tycoon Malik Riaz Hussain, his son Ahmed Ali Riaz, Mirza Shehzad Akbar, and Zulfi Bukhari. However, rather than cooperating with the inquiry and the ensuing legal processes, they fled and were later designated proclaimed offenders (PO). In addition, Ziaul Mustafa Nasim, a lawyer for the PTI government’s Assets Recovery Unit, and Farhat Shahzadi, a close friend of Imran’s spouse, were designated POs. All six of the accused’s properties were then placed under freeze. The indictment against the former first lady and former premier was scheduled for January 26 but was postponed until January 30 by Judge Mohammad Bashir. Then it was rescheduled for February 10; however, this time it was postponed until February 27.
According to the reference, the accused were given several chances to explain themselves and offer information, but they willfully and maliciously refused to do so under one or more pretexts. Moreover, it is evident from their answers that they lack any defense to refute the aforementioned accusations. According to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), “they have all committed an offense.” The investigation procedures and results to date, it continued, “established that accused persons in connivance with each other have committed the offense of corruption and corrupt practices,” as defined by the NAO. According to the source, Imran had a “pivotal role” in the money transfers that were not authorized by the state but instead went to Riaz.
According to the reference, Akbar, a former chief of the Asset Recovery Unit and special assistant to the premier, was “crucially involved” in the “illegal design of the funds,” which were intended for the state. The reference claimed that Malik and the other defendants had “actively aided, abetted and assisted and acted in conspiracy” for the misappropriation of state monies. It was claimed that Shahzadi and Bushra Bibi were both “significant” and “crucial” players in the “illegal activities,” with the latter serving as Imran and his wife’s “front woman.” According to the reference, there was “sufficient incriminating evidence” to support the reference, therefore it was “just and proper” to move forward with the eight suspects. It begged that the court or any other to which the reference was assigned try and punish the eight suspects in line with the law.