Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi have been indicted in a £190 million graft reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The indictment came during the hearing held in Adiala Jail accountability court on Tuesday.

Accountability Court judge Nasir Javed Rana announced the judgement and sought five witnesses in the next hearing scheduled for March 6.

Both accused Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi denied the charges levelled against them.

During the previous hearing, the court approved the former prime minister’s request to meet his wife, and Judge Rana also directed NAB to provide two copies of the reference to the defense counsel.

Moreover, the PTI founding chairman requested the judge to allow him to consult his doctor for a dental checkup, saying he had not seen his doctor in seven months.

The Accountability Court judge asked him to consult the jail medic, to which, Khan said, “lest the jail medic might extract my teeth”. To this, the judge asked him to move an application.

The court deferred the indictment without any proceedings until February 27.

Background

NAB launched an inquiry into the Al-Qadir University Trust case - now called the £190 million reference - in March 2023, before turning it into an investigation on April 28.

According to NAB, Imran and his wife obtained billions of rupees and land measuring hundreds of kanals from Malik Riaz of Bahria Town in return for Rs 50 billion that was paid as a settlement with the National Crime Agency (NCA) of the UK and the same was adjusted in lieu of a fine imposed on him by the Supreme Court.

In May, a heavy contingent of Rangers arrested the PTI chief in the case at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) premises where he was seeking bail in multiple FIRs registered against him.

Later, the IHC declared Imran’s arrest on the court’s premises “legal”.

Source Business Recorder

BDST: 1809 HRS, FEB 27, 2024
MSK