An accountability court in Islamabad has issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Bushra Bibi, the wife of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, in connection with the £190 million corruption case. The court has instructed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to arrest Bushra Bibi and present her in court by November 26.
During today’s hearing, Bushra Bibi’s lawyer once again requested an exemption from attending the session due to health reasons, submitting a medical report from Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital. However, NAB objected, pointing out that the notarized medical documents were issued in Islamabad, not Peshawar.
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Although Bushra Bibi was absent, Imran Khan appeared in court, but he failed to submit his statement under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code. This marks the eighth consecutive hearing that Bushra Bibi has missed in the ongoing case. NAB has repeatedly raised concerns about her non-cooperation.
The £190 million case pertains to allegations of financial misconduct and corruption involving Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi. The case centers around £190 million (equivalent to Rs 50 billion), which was transferred by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to the Pakistani government as part of a settlement with a property tycoon. Imran Khan, during his tenure as Prime Minister, obtained cabinet approval for this settlement on December 3, 2019, without disclosing the confidential details. The arrangement specified that the funds would be submitted to the Supreme Court on behalf of the tycoon.
According to NAB, both Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi received land worth billions of rupees from the property tycoon, intended for the construction of an educational institute. The court’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Bushra Bibi underscores the seriousness of her continued non-appearance in the case. It remains to be seen whether NAB can present her in court by the November 26 deadline.
