Pakistan: Imran Khan, his wife approach Islamabad Court against conviction in 190 million pound corruption case

Imran Khan and his wife requested the court to set aside their conviction and sentences by an accountability court and stressed that the verdict lacked credible evidence and suffered from procedural lapses.

On January 17, the court convicted Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in the 190 million pound Al-Qadir Trust case with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder being sentenced to 14 years in prison while a seven-year jail term has been handed over to his wife. The verdict, delayed three times previously, was announced by Judge Nasir Javed Rana in a makeshift courtroom at Adiala Jail.

The appeals mentioned about UK Court of Appeal's judgement dated Nov 26, 2021 and added that the funds at the centre of the controversy were neither proceeds of crime nor related to any illegal activity.

They stated that the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) had agreed to 190 million pound settlement with property tycoon Malik Riaz Hussain, specifying that the funds would be transferred to Pakistan Supreme Court's account as part of a legal framework, according to Dawn report.

In the appeal, PTI founder Imran Khan has accused NAB of withholding critical evidence and not presenting witnesses from the NCA or relevant documents to substantiate its claims. Imran Khan's lawyers mentioned abou NAB's earlier closure of the case in 2020, after the NCA's settlement agreement. His legal team argued that the reopening of the investigation in 2023 was conducted in bad faith and for political reasons.

In the appeal, Imran Khan and his wife also contested the validity of purported confidentiality deed given by the prosecution. His lawyers said that the document was unverified and no forensic analysis was conducted to determine its authenticity, Dawn reported. They argued that the document was merely procedural and no evidence related it to any criminal activity.

PTI founder's lawyers stressed that no personal financial gain was made. They said that the funds deposited in the account of Al-Qadir University Trust for furniture had been wrongly associated with the case. The appeal stated, "The prosecution's own evidence confirms that no donations or monetary benefits were received personally by Imran Khan or his wife," Dawn reported.

The appeal reads, "The trial court failed to properly evaluate critical evidence, including testimony from prosecution witnesses and official documents, which directly refute the allegations of misuse of authority." Imran Khan accused NAB of conducting a politically motivated agenda, claiming that the bureau had selectively targeted him while excluding several individuals implicated in the case.

Bushra Bibi said that there was a lack of evidence and mentioned several procedural and investigative flaws. She termed the case against her politically motivated and unsupported by substantive evidence. She said that the prosecution was unable to establish her alleged role in aiding and abetting her husband or her involvement in matters related to Al-Qadir University Trust. (ANI)