Accountability Judge Mohammad Bashir issued these instructions during the hearing held at Adiala Jail.
This decision follows a NAB team’s interrogation of Imran at the jail the day prior, questioning him for a few hours regarding the case.
The case alleges that the former prime minister and his wife, Bushra Bibi, acquired billions of rupees and hundreds of kanals of land from Bahria Town Ltd to legalize Rs50 billion that the UK identified and repatriated during the prior PTI government.
Earlier this year, Imran was arrested from the premises of the Islamabad High Court in this case, but the Supreme Court later deemed the arrest unlawful and released him. However, on Nov 14, while imprisoned in Adiala Jail for the cipher case, the NAB arrested Imran again in the Al-Qadir Trust case and placed him on physical remand.
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During today’s hearing, Imran’s wife and legal team attended, alongside a five-member NAB team. Despite NAB’s request for an extension of physical remand, the court denied the plea and shifted Imran to judicial remand.
Imran’s counsel, Sardar Latif Khosa, criticized NAB, accusing it of engaging in “political engineering and vendetta” and claimed that the government frequently manipulates the institution.
Quoting Imran, Khosa highlighted NAB’s prolonged questioning sessions, where investigators allegedly engaged in extended casual discussions.
Khosa emphasized Imran’s stance that the country cannot progress if strategies to suppress opponents are employed.
Additionally, Imran faces allegations of misleading the cabinet by withholding facts related to the settlement agreement. Funds received under this agreement were intended for the national exchequer but were diverted to adjust liabilities of Bahria Town Karachi.
NAB’s notice cited frozen funds in various accounts, highlighting the alleged dishonest transfer of these funds to Bahria Town liabilities instead of repatriating them to the state.
Notably, the Supreme Court ordered the transfer of Rs35 billion, remitted to its accounts in the Bahria Town settlement, to the federal government on Nov 23.
