Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi Convicted in £190 Million Corruption Case
Islamabad: After multiple delays, an accountability court in Pakistan’s federal capital on Friday convicted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in the £190 million corruption case.
The verdict, delivered by Accountability Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana during proceedings held inside a makeshift courtroom at Adiala Jail, sentenced Imran Khan to 14 years in prison and Bushra Bibi to seven years. Both were also handed heavy fines, with the former prime minister ordered to pay Rs1 million and Bushra Bibi fined Rs0.5 million. Failure to pay these fines would result in an additional six months of imprisonment for Khan and three months for his wife.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecution team, led by Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi and other prominent lawyers, including Barristers Gohar Khan, Shoaib Shaheen, and Salman Akram Raja, represented the case during the high-profile hearing.
Following the court’s decision, Bushra Bibi was taken into custody, joining her husband at Adiala Jail. Sources confirmed that her prison cell had already been prepared. Both convicts were handed over to the jail superintendent along with committal warrants, while attested copies of the judgment were provided to facilitate any appeals.
Charges and Legal Basis
The court convicted Imran Khan under Sections 9(a)(ii), (iv), and (vi) of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, for corruption and misuse of authority. Bushra Bibi was convicted under Section 9(a)(xii) for aiding and abetting corrupt practices. The verdict directed the transfer of the Al-Qadir Trust University to the federal government’s custody.
The 148-page judgment highlighted that Bushra Bibi’s involvement was limited to aiding and abetting corruption, which served as a mitigating factor in her sentencing. The court also noted that the prosecution’s case relied on credible and coherent documentary evidence, which the defense failed to discredit.
Applications filed by both defendants under Section 265-K of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) were dismissed by the court.
Prosecution’s Success
The court concluded that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt, resulting in the convictions of the former prime minister and his wife. The ruling marks a significant development in Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to address allegations of corruption and misuse of authority.