A Pakistani high court will hear a plea from jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi on Thursday. They challenge their convictions in the Al-Qadir Trust case, a significant corruption matter linked to allegations of misuse of public funds.
In January last year, an Islamabad accountability court sentenced the 73-year-old Khan to 14 years in prison, while Bibi received a seven-year sentence from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Pakistan’s anti-corruption watchdog.
The couple challenged their convictions in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), which was set to review their plea on April 22. However, the hearing was canceled due to the closure of the Red Zone amidst anticipated Iran-US negotiations.
According to the registrar’s office, the division bench led by Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Mohammad Asif will take up the matter on Thursday.
The allegations in the Al-Qadir Trust case revolve around a substantial £190 million involving a welfare organization that operates a university near Islamabad. Investigators claim that the trust acted as a cover for receiving prime real estate worth millions from a local businessman.
NAB has argued that donations to the trust were made in return for Khan’s administration using returned funds from the UK to pay the businessman’s fines rather than depositing this money into the national treasury.
Khan has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, asserting that he and his wife have not financially benefited from the Al-Qadir Trust or any of its transactions. This case’s outcome could have significant implications for Khan’s political future.
The forthcoming hearing holds critical importance as it may determine the direction of Khan’s legal battle and possibly influence the broader political landscape in Pakistan, where he remains a prominent figure despite his incarceration.