An accountability court in Rawalpindi sentenced former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan to 14 years in prison and his wife Bushra Bibi to 7 years in the Al-Kadhir Trust case. This high-profile case involves allegations that Khan misappropriated funds sent by Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) during his tenure as prime minister.
Details of the Al-Qadir Trust case
The case concerns approximately PKR 50 billion (approximately £190 million) transferred to Pakistan by the NCA in 2019. The funds linked to the property tycoon’s assets were part of an agreement between the tycoon and the NCA. While the NCA said the agreement was a civil matter, Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau (NAB) claimed that Imran Khan had approved the agreement without disclosing the details.
NAB said the fund was initially created for the purpose of filing submissions to the Supreme Court of Pakistan on behalf of the tycoon. However, the Al-Qadir Trust was soon established to provide legal security for the funds. Trust members included Khan, Bushra Bibi and close associates such as Zulfi Bukhari, Babar Awan and Farhat Shehzadi.
Corruption allegations and land transfers
NAB accused Khan’s close associate Zulfi Bukhari of accepting 458 canal lands after the cabinet approved the agreement. The land was later transferred to Al-Qadir Trust and is currently registered in the names of Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi and Farhat Shehzadi. Key witnesses during the trial included former cabinet members and officials who testified about the settlement approval process and lack of transparency.
Legal proceedings and protests
Khan was first arrested on May 9, 2023, which sparked nationwide protests by his party supporters. He was released on bail shortly afterwards, but the trial continued for over a year. The proceedings included testimony from former officials and several judicial changes, with four judges presiding over the case at different times.
The court declared Bukhari and six co-defendants, including Farhat Shehzadi, fugitives and froze their assets and bank accounts. Despite submitting a list of 16 witnesses, Khan’s request to subpoena them was rejected.
trial results
The court’s decision marked an important development in Pakistan’s political and legal environment. The convictions of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi highlighted allegations of corruption during the former prime minister’s tenure. The Al-Qadir Trust case remains a focus of public and political debate in the country.
