IHC bars trial court from issuing final verdict on Imran’s request

ISLAMABAD: Approving a request by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) stopped the trial court from announcing the final verdict on the £190 million settlement case.

A two-member divisional bench, comprising IHC’s Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Babar Sattar, on Monday, heard a plea filed by the deposed prime minister, seeking the records for a past National Accountability Bureau (NAB) decision to close the graft case.

The incarcerated PTI chairman is accused of causing billions of rupees loss to the national exchequer in a case also involving a property tycoon. During the hearing, Khan’s counsel Salman Safdar maintained that the proceedings in the reference against the former prime minister are still underway, and the last of the 35 witnesses are under cross-examination.

He apprised the court that there were eight accused, six of which are absconders and the two are Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi. As per the allegations in the case, the petitioner of this plea, facilitated the settlement between the government and the property tycoon when he was the prime minister, the counsel added.

Referring to the 190 million pounds received from UK’s NCA in 2019, Safdar contended that NAB maintained in the case that the funds had to be transferred in the government’s account but instead they were received in the Supreme Court’s bank account and that the Al Qadir Trust is operational instead of a ghost project.

At this, the bench inquired if the trust was registered. Safdar first replied in affirmative but later said he would inform the court after confirmation on the next hearing, upon being told that the trust wasn’t registered according to the records available with the court.

The lawyer also informed the court that they had filed a plea in the trial court for the provision of NAB’s executive board meeting’s record but the trial court turned it down. Moreover, he said that as per the Supreme Court’s orders, accountability courts are restricted from issuing final verdicts.

Justice Hassan warned the PTI counsel to refrain from using delaying tactics as it will withdraw the order staying the final verdict and direct the trial court to announce its decision at the earliest.

Later, the IHC directed the trial court to stay the final verdict for now and ordered NAB to submit its response to Khan’s plea by Wednesday (August 21). It also stated that the trial of the case will continue in the meantime.