Former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were accused on Tuesday by an accountability court in connection with the 190 million pounds Al Qadir corruption case. Khan and Bibi are now prisoners.
The hearing was held in Rawalpindi’s high-security Adiala Prison, presided over by Judge Nasir Javed Rana. The 72-year-old founder of Pakistan Tehreek-Insaf is presently serving various prison sentences. In the presence of Khan and Bushra in the courtroom, the judge read the chargesheet. The court announced at the hearing that 58 witnesses’ statements will be recorded for the case, according to a report from Geo News. As the judge was laying out the allegations against Khan, she inquired as to his guilt or innocence.
“Why should I read the charge sheet when I know what’s written in it?” Khan answered. Then, Khan and his spouse refuted the accusations made against them. The court also mandated that five NAB witnesses appear at the hearing, postponing it until March 6.
Bushra Bibi: Imran Khan’s complicit?
Known for her spirituality and dedication to Sufism, a mystical branch of Islam, Bushra Riaz Watto is her birth name. She has often been referred to be Imran Khan’s spiritual guide. In the same case that resulted in Imran Khan’s detention on May 9, Bushra Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan, is accused of corruption. He went with her to a court on Monday, when the judge granted her protected bail.
Khan, 70, has frequently referred to Bushra as his spiritual guide. Even though she was born Bushra Riaz Watto, after being married, she went by Khan. Her spouse and supporters call her Bushra Begum or Bushra Bibi, which are respectful terms in Urdu. Since marrying Khan, a longtime celebrity who was once a cricket legend, she has maintained a quiet profile.
However, the couple had no financial advantage from the trust, according to Farrukh Habib, a spokesperson for Khan’s party, who told Reuters that the issue was driven by politics.
Also, Imran and his wife were indicted for land corruption
Imran Khan and his third wife, Bushra Bibi, were charged by a court on Tuesday on allegations that they misused their position to get property as a bribe while he was prime minister, according to a statement from his party.
The most recent accusations come after Khan was found guilty many times in the months preceding the national election on February 8, which saw the greatest number of seats won by his supporters.
However, Khan, including two on graft charges, disqualified him from politics for 10 years.
His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has condemned the indictment charges, stating they are politically motivated cases to keep Khan behind bars. The latest indictment is related to Al-Qadir Trust, a non-governmental welfare organization established by Khan and his third wife Bushra Bibi in 2018. The PTI party has rejected the election results, alleging widespread fraud. The couple pleaded not guilty to the indictment charges.
