IHC Halts Trial Court's Verdict on Imran Khan's Request
In a significant development, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has intervened to prevent the trial court from delivering a final verdict on Imran Khan’s request regarding a £190 million settlement case.
The ruling comes as the deposed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman faces allegations of inflicting a massive financial blow to the national treasury, with a case that also features a prominent property tycoon. On Monday, a two-judge panel consisting of Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Babar Sattar reviewed Khan’s appeal to access records from a past National Accountability Bureau (NAB) decision to close a corruption case.
Khan’s lawyer, Salman Safdar, argued that the case is still active, with the final witness of 35 yet to be cross-examined. Safdar highlighted that out of eight accused, only Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, are currently present, while the other six are absconding. He asserted that Khan, while serving as prime minister, had facilitated a settlement between the government and the property tycoon.
Safdar also pointed out a discrepancy involving the £190 million received from the UK’s National Crime Agency in 2019. According to NAB, the funds were supposed to be deposited into the government’s account but instead were placed into the Supreme Court’s bank account. Safdar emphasized that the Al Qadir Trust remains operational rather than being a mere phantom project.
