Judge Nasir Javed Rana says he has adjourned decision because of absence of accused and his lawyers
RAWALPINDI: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-Jan 13rd, 2025) The decision in the £190 million case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi has once again been deferred until January 17.
An accountability court postponed the decision on the £190 million reference during a hearing held at Adiala Jail. Accountability Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana was hearing the case.
Before the hearing, Judge Nasir Javed Rana arrived at Adiala Jail, accompanied by NAB Prosecutor Chaudhry Nazar, members of NAB’s legal team Irfan Ahmed, Sohail Arif, and Owais Arshad, as well as Islamabad Accountability Court staff. PTI founder’s lawyers, including Advocate Salman Akram Raja, were also present at the jail.
Additional police contingents were deployed outside Adiala Jail, including female police officers and fresh Elite Force units. Security at Gate No. 5 of the jail was on high alert, with thorough body searches conducted for all entering officials.
PTI founder’s sisters Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan were also present at the hearing inside Adiala Jail. However, both Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, did not appear, prompting the court to defer the decision, which is now scheduled to be announced on January 17.
During the hearing, Judge Nasir Javed Rana remarked, “The PTI founder was informed twice, but he did not come to the court. Bushra Bibi also did not appear. I arrived at the jail promptly at 8:30am. It is now 10:30am, and the accused and their lawyers are not present. Therefore, the decision is being postponed to January 17,”.
Later, Bushra Bibi arrived at Adiala Jail but left without entering.
The decision in the £190 million reference was initially scheduled to be announced at Adiala Jail today, for which the Accountability Court staff had formally informed the PTI founder's lawyers. Advocate Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry confirmed that the court had officially notified them about the decision being announced.
Previously, the court had deferred the decision twice. The final trial hearing took place on December 18, 2023, at Adiala Jail.
Today’s decision, meant to be announced in the presence of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, has now been postponed for the third time
The decision was initially set for December 23, 2023, but was postponed to January 6, 2024, and then to January 13, 2024.
The £190 million reference trial was completed within a year. This is the only case against Imran Khan that lasted an entire year.
NAB arrested Imran Khan on November 13, 2023, and after 17 days of interrogation at Adiala Jail, the £190 million reference was filed in the Accountability Court on December 1, 2023.
The court indicted Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi on February 27, 2024.
In the reference, statements of 35 witnesses were recorded including former Principal Secretary Azam Khan, former Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and former Federal Minister Zubaida Jalal.
During the trial, the case witnessed four different judges. It was first heard by Judge Muhammad Bashir, then by Judge Nasir Javed Rana, later by Judge Muhammad Ali Warraich, and finally returned to Judge Nasir Javed Rana.
