ISLAMABAD: The trial of former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in the £190 million corruption reference has reached its final stage, with an accountability court set to record their testimonies tomorrow (Friday).

Property developer Malik Riaz and his son Ahmed Ali Riaz, also implicated in the case, were declared proclaimed offenders after absconding when the investigation began.

Accountability Judge Nasir Javed Rana directed Mr Khan and Bushra Bibi to record their statements under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) on Wednesday before formally concluding the trial proceeding.

With 35 witnesses cross-examined, defence counsels for Mr Khan and Bushra Bibi have concluded their arguments, heightening anticipation for the upcoming testimonies. Defence lawyers Zaheer Abbas and Usman Gul thoroughly cross-examined witnesses, bringing the case into its final legal stages.

Accountability court set to record their testimonies tomorrow

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecution has refrained from presenting further evidence, signalling the end of the evidence phase.

Mr Khan and Bushra Bibi will respond to the evidence against them under Section 342, allowing them to clarify their positions. The court will provide a questionnaire tomorrow to guide their statements.

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During Wednesday’s hearing, Mr Khan appeared in court. Bushra Bibi, on bail in the case, also joined the proceedings.

The NAB’s reference accuses Mr Khan’s cabinet of approving a confidential agreement in 2019, enabling £190m seized by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and returned to Pakistan to be redirected to Malik Riaz.

The bureau alleges that Mr Khan and Bushra Bibi received billions of rupees and hundreds of kanals of land from Bahria Town in exchange for “legalising” the funds.

Several of Mr Khan’s cabinet members have stated in court that they were kept in the dark about Malik Riaz’s transaction details.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2024