The verdict in the £190m Al-Qadir Trust case against former premier Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi – expected to be announced today (Monday) – has been postponed for the third time.
Judge Nasir Javed Rana cited the reason for the delay as Imran and Bushra’s failure to appear before his accountability court at the Adiala Jail. The decision – already postponed twice on Dec 23, 2024 and Jan 6, 2025 – will now be announced on January 17 (Friday).
The couple was indicted in the case on Feb 27, 2024, shortly after the general elections.
“Bushra Bibi had knowledge of the verdict being announced but she did not appear before the court,” Judge Rana said. “The PTI founder was sent a message twice but he also did not appear in court yet.” The judge also said he was present in the court since 8:30am but “neither the suspects nor their lawyers appeared”. “The decision – fully ready and signed – is present with me today,” he asserted.
“The suspects were also given numerous chances during the trial,” Judge Rana added. According to the court, Imran told jail officials that he would not appear in court until his lawyers and family members arrived there.
On December 23 – the original date the verdict was supposed to be announced – an Islamabad accountability court postponed its verdict in the case until Jan 6 due to winter vacations. Then, on January 6, the decision could not be pronounced as Judge Rana was on leave. Reacting to the development, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan asserted that the postponement was “not the outcome of any deal”. “Attempts are being made to give the impression that a deal is being done. There is no deal.
“The trial court’s attitude towards us (PTI) has been unjust,” Gohar, flanked by Raja, told reporters outside Adiala.
The PTI chairman said that before they entered the Adiala jail for the verdict today, the judge had already decided to postpone the hearing until January 17. Raja, referring to the ongoing talks between the PTI and the government to cool political temperatures, clarified that while they were continuing, it was incorrect if anyone wanted to imply that the decision was delayed because of those. “We will not enter into any deal,” the PTI leader asserted.
Gohar stated, “Imran has said that the Al-Qadir Trust case decision should be announced. We can see it written on the walls that we have been repeatedly wronged.
“We were ready for the verdict to come out today,” he said, adding that the judge delayed the decision at his own discretion. The PTI chairman reiterated that Bushra was accused in the case to “pressure Imran”.
Meanwhile, Imran’s sister Aleema claimed the verdict was to be announced at 10:30am, adding that she reached there on time.
“Some were told that the decision would be announced at 11am,” she said while speaking to reporters outside Adiala. Aleema added that Imran had been waiting for the verdict in the case for about a month as he wanted to appeal the case in a high court. “I think the government is under a lot of pressure because the entire world is watching,” she said.
