DND Report: The PTI’s decision to suspend dialogue with the government after the announcement of the verdict in the 190-million-pound case shows that it just wanted NRO for Imran Khan but failed to get it, so it refused to sit for any negotiations with the government.
On Friday, former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were convicted in the £190 million case. Imran Khan was sentenced to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment while Bushra Bibi received a seven-year jail term.
In addition to the prison sentences, the court imposed fines of Rs one million on Imran and Rs500,000 on Bushra, if the fines are not paid, Imran Khan will serve an additional six months in prison, and Bushra Bibi will face an extra three months.
The verdict also declared that the property of the “sham trust,” Al-Qadir University Project Trust, is to be forfeited to the Federal Government per Section 10(a) of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999.
It may be mentioned that after the announcement of the verdict against former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife in a 19-million-pound case, Asad Qaisar and other leaders of PTI announced that they will not continue dialogue/negotiation with the government and will again go back to its politics of protest.
For dialogue, PTI proposed a two-point agenda, immediate release of its followers from jails who were arrested during protests in the last two years, and setting up a Judicial Commission over the May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024 incidents. There was no demand that PTI would not continue dialogue with the government if its founding chairman former prime minister or his wife is convicted in cases of corruption that were/are in the last leg of reaching to logical conclusion. This situation explained the motive of PTI behind dialogue beyond any doubt that it wanted an NRO for Imran Khan and his wife and wanted to stop court proceedings and legal process in case of corruption the couple is facing.
What was the case?
Accountability Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana finally delivered the verdict in the 190-million-pound mega corruption case in the light of the constitution, law, and authentic evidence. The 190-million-pound case is the only one of its kind and unique in that in this mega corruption case, the then Prime Minister, Imran Khan misused his position.
During the proceedings of this mega corruption case, undeniable pieces of evidence were presented before the court on how (the then Prime Minister) Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were involved in bribery and white-collar crime. How he had colluded with property tycoon Malik Riaz through land and cash. Malik Riaz settled with the British investigation agency National Crime Agency while the NCA had declared the amount of 190 million pounds as the property of the state of Pakistan.
Imran Khan by misusing his position, his cabinet, and his powers, decided to deposit a fine of Rs 460 billion in the account of the Supreme Court against the penalty Malik Riaz was facing in the Court. In return for this great favor, Malik Riaz gave cash, jewelry, and land to the founder of PTI for the Al-Qadir Trust.
The mega corruption case did not come to an end overnight but over a long period of a year after reviewing complete and irrefutable evidence. Statements by three members of the then cabinet confirmed that the PTI founder received illegal financial benefits from property tycoon Malik Riaz during his tenure as Prime Minister.
The most important thing is that while Imran Khan was committing this corruption, he used to call other politicians thieves, corrupt, and dacoits to create a narrative and divert attention from his side.
This case also proves that the justice system in Pakistan is independent and the judiciary has increased its prestige by pronouncing the verdict of this mega corruption and embezzlement case with evidence in a long period of one year without any pressure.
The Decision and the aftermath
The Accountability Court of Islamabad ordered to hand of Al-Qadir University to government custody. Details of the committal warrant issued by the Accountability Court in this regard have been revealed.
The accused Imran Khan has been found guilty of the crime of corruption as defined in Section 9(a)(ii)(iv)(vi) of the National Accountability Ordinance 1999.
Accused Bushra Bibi has also been convicted for the offence of aiding and abetting etc. as defined in Section 9(a)(xii) of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999. Her role is to the extent of aiding and abetting the commission of offenses by corrupt and corrupt means, which is considered to be a mitigating circumstance.
The committal warrant directs the Superintendent Jail to take the said offenders into custody in the said jail and to execute the said sentence along with the warrant by law.
The committal warrant issued by the accountability court states that the prosecution’s case is based primarily on documentary evidence, which is proven by endurance. In the context of this matter, it was concluded that the prosecution has successfully proven its case by presenting solid, reliable, coherent, irrefutable, credible, and convincing evidence against both the accused, Imran Khan, and his wife Bushra Bibi.
Accused Bushra Bibi’s guilt is proven by signing the ‘Acknowledgement of Donation’ on 24.03.2021 and signing it in the joint account of Qaim-e-Qadir University Project Trust at HBL Civic Center Branch, Islamabad.
In the judgment documents, the court holds that the testimony of the prosecution witnesses cannot be refuted by the defense. During the trial, the witnesses had to undergo lengthy and thorough cross-examination. The statement of these witnesses was found to be consistent and coherent overall. There may be some inconsistencies in the prosecution evidence which is natural in cases like white-collar crimes.
According to the court, the defense counsel failed to bring forward any reasonable ground for the prosecution case. Even the documents produced in the defense are of no relevance to it. Similarly, the case law presented by the defense counsel hardly corresponds to the facts and circumstances of the case. According to the Hon’ble Judge Nasir Javed Rana, given the evidence in this case, both the separate applications under 265-K Cr.P.C filed by both the accused founder PTI and Bushra Bibi during the trial were dismissed.
According to the decision of the accountability court, the prosecution has successfully proved its case following the law. In the committal warrant, the accountability court has asked that certified copies of this decision be provided separately to both the convicts free of cost so that if they wish, they can file an appeal, etc. before the appropriate forum.
