- PTI founder, former first lady slapped with fine of Rs1m and Rs0.5m.
- Couple handed over to jail’s superintendent with committal warrant.
- Imran’s Al-Qadir Trust University forfeited to federal government.
In a landmark decision, the accountability court has handed down significant prison sentences to Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi in the 190 million pounds case, marking a major turning point in Pakistan’s political and legal landscape.
The judicial decision in the 190 million pounds case against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi has been detailed. In a hearing at Adiala Jail, the accountability court announced its verdict, sentencing the founding chairman of PTI, Imran Khan, to 14 years in prison, and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to 7 years in prison. According to the court’s decision, the founder of PTI was convicted under Section 10-A of the NAB Ordinance, 1999, for being involved in corruption. The court stated that upon proving the crime, Imran Khan was sentenced to 14 years of hard labor and a fine of 1 million rupees. If the fine is not paid, he will have to serve an additional 6 months in prison.
The court also found Bushra Bibi guilty of aiding the crime. She was sentenced to 7 years of hard labor and a fine of 500,000 rupees, with an additional 3 months in prison if the fine is not paid. The court further decided that the Al-Qadir Trust University would be confiscated by the government, and the university would be handed over to the federal government.
The decision stated that the defense lawyers could not disprove the prosecution’s evidence in the 190 million pounds reference case. The prosecution’s case was based on documentary evidence, which was proven to be accurate. The prosecution presented solid, credible, consistent, and irrefutable evidence. Despite long cross-examination of multiple witnesses, including the investigating officer, their testimonies remained consistent and reliable. The minor contradictions present were natural in white-collar crimes. Despite ample opportunities, the defense could not disprove the prosecution’s stance.
Additionally, the court dismissed the defendants’ requests for acquittal, stating that the documentary evidence provided by the defense was worthless and irrelevant to the case. The legal references presented by the defense lawyers were also unrelated to the facts of the case. The court instructed that copies of the judgment be provided to the convicts free of charge and mentioned that they could appeal the decision before the relevant forum.