An accountability court in Islamabad has postponed the much-anticipated verdict in the £190 million corruption case involving former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi. The ruling, initially scheduled for December 23, 2024, will now be announced on January 6, 2025, due to the court’s upcoming winter vacation.
Judge Nasir Javed Rana cited the holidays and a training course at the high court as reasons for the delay. The court will officially close from December 24 to January 1, resuming proceedings in the new year.
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At the previous hearing, Barrister Salman Safdar, representing Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, argued that the case was driven by “political revenge.” He claimed that the couple had been proven innocent in previous cases and reiterated that the case involved other political figures, including Nawaz Sharif’s son, Hassan Nawaz, who was not included in the proceedings.
The £190 million case, which led to the indictment of Imran and Bushra earlier this year, centers on allegations that the former prime minister adjusted Rs50 billion (equivalent to £190 million) transferred by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to the Pakistani government. Imran Khan, while in office, approved the settlement in 2019 but did not disclose key details to the public. The funds were supposed to be submitted to the Supreme Court.
Imran Khan has consistently denied the corruption charges, calling them politically motivated and accusing his rivals of using state institutions to target him. Other individuals named in the case include Mirza Shehzad Akbar, Zulfi Bukhari, and Farhat Shahzadi, all of whom are accused of diverting state funds.
The case remains a highly charged political issue, with the delayed verdict now adding further anticipation as the court prepares to deliver its ruling in early January.
