The much-anticipated verdict in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case, involving former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, has been deferred once again, with the new date set for January 17, 2025 (Friday). This marks the third delay in the announcement of the reserved decision.
On Sunday, staff at the accountability court informed Imran Khan’s legal team and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecution that the verdict would be delivered at Adiala Jail. However, when Judge Nasir Javed Rana arrived at the courtroom at 9:00 am on Monday, neither Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi, nor their lawyers were present. The judge waited until 10:30 am before announcing that the verdict would be postponed once again, now scheduled for January 17. He subsequently left Adiala Jail after the announcement.
This delay follows two previous setbacks in the case. Initially, the verdict was slated for December 23, 2024, but was postponed due to the winter court vacations. On January 6, 2025, the decision was again delayed as Judge Rana was on leave.
Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were formally indicted on February 27, 2024, in connection with the case, shortly after the general elections. The NAB alleges that, in 2019, a confidential agreement was made by the cabinet to return £190 million seized by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to Pakistan. In exchange, the couple is accused of receiving billions of rupees and hundreds of acres of land from Bahria Town for “legalising” the funds. According to the reference, Malik Riaz’s son transferred 240 kanals of land to Farhat Shahzadi, while Zulfi Bukhari allegedly received land through a trust that the NAB claims did not exist at the time. The prosecution further contends that the trust was established only after the £190 million adjustment, raising questions about its legitimacy and purpose.
