ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has reserved its decision on the bail applications of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in the £190 million corruption case. This decision was made by a two-member bench consisting of Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, following the conclusion of arguments from both the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecution team and Khan’s defense counsel, Sardar Latif Khan Khosa.
NAB Special Prosecutor Amjad Pervaiz stated that the trial is nearing its end, with 30 out of 59 prosecution witnesses having testified so far. He noted that the number of remaining witnesses would be reduced by 10 to 15, with the rest scheduled to testify soon. Pervaiz referenced a Supreme Court ruling that typically denies bail in similar circumstances.
In defense, advocate Khosa argued that the case lacks substance, asserting that there are no allegations of money laundering against the accused. He explained that the funds in question were initially seized by the UK’s National Crime Agency due to suspicions of illegality but were returned to Pakistan through an out-of-court settlement. Khosa emphasized that the government’s involvement merely expedited the return of these funds, which could have otherwise been recovered through a lengthy legal process in the UK courts.
