An Islamabad accountability court on Monday postponed its verdict \u2014 expected today \u2014 in the \u00a3190 million Al-Qadir Trust corruption reference against former prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Imran and Bushra were indicted<\/a> in the case on February 27, shortly after the general elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The case<\/a> alleges that Imran and Bushra Bibi obtained billions of rupees and land worth hundreds of kanals from Bahria Town Ltd for legalising Rs50 billion that was identified and returned to the country by the United Kingdom during the previous PTI government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The court had reserved<\/a> the verdict on December 18, saying that it would be announced on December 23 (today).<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, while presiding over the hearing today, judge Nasir Javed Rana said, \u201cThe verdict will not be announced today; [winter] vacations are coming and there is also a course at the high court.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Officially, the court is set to go on winter vacation from tomorrow (December 24) until January 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Judge Nasir\u2019s statement came after Imran\u2019s counsel Khalid Chaudhry said his team was expecting the verdict today. The judge said the new date for the verdict\u2019s pronouncement would be issued soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since Imran\u2019s incarceration<\/a> last year based on several cases, his party\u2019s relationship with the government, as well as the establishment, has turned exceedingly sour. The PTI has held several protests over the last year, most of which escalated into violence<\/a> after facing state repression<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Following the PTI\u2019s \u2018Final Call\u2019 power show last month, tensions escalated as there were renewed calls to ban the party<\/a> and task forces<\/a> formed against<\/a> an alleged \u201cmalicious campaign\u201d as the PTI claimed a dozen deaths of its supporters, which the government officially denies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, after Imran formed a five-member committee<\/a> to hold talks and his lawmakers had a softened stance<\/a> in the parliament, the government reciprocated by constituting<\/a> its own negotiation committee comprising members of the ruling coalition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both sides are set to meet today<\/a> (Monday), where they are expected to present their demands and discuss them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In December, the National Accou\u00adn\u00adt\u00ada\u00adbility Bureau (NAB) had filed a corruption reference<\/a> against Imran and seven others, including his wife, in connection with the Al-Qadir University Trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The reference filed by NAB alleged that Imran, who is currently in jail, played a \u201cpivotal 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\u201d. It also claimed that despite being given multiple opportunities to justify and provide information, the accused deliberately, with mala fide intention, refused to give information on one pretext or another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Property tycoon Malik Riaz Hussain and his son Ahmed Ali Riaz, Mirza Shehzad Akbar, and Zulfi Buk\u00adhari are also among the suspects in this reference, but instead of joining the investigation and subsequent court proceedings, they absconded and were subsequently dec\u00adlared proclaimed offenders<\/a> (PO).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Farhat Shahzadi, a close friend of Imran\u2019s spouse, and Ziaul Mustafa Nasim, a legal expert for the PTI government\u2019s Assets Recovery Unit, were also declared POs. Subsequently, the properties of all six accused had been frozen<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While testifying<\/a> before the accountability court on December 10, Imran termed the corruption charges against him \u201cpolitically motivated\u201d orchestrated by his opponents allegedly with the support of state institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy political rivals have weaponised institutions to crush dissent and curb democracy,\u201d he had said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a>The reference<\/h2>\n\n\n\n