Pak’s jailed former PM Imran Khan seeks relief in Al-Qadir corruption case

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan on Saturday sought relief in the Al-Qadir corruption case following the Supreme Court’s reinstatement of amendments in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws.

The top court on Friday gave a nod to an intra-court appeal in favour of restoring the changes made in the laws in 2022, which were struck down by the apex court in September last year.

The court also ruled the decision of the cabinet could not be prosecuted.

Khan submitted a plea for acquittal in the case during a hearing at the Adiala Jail, where he has been incarcerated since last year.

The former premier in his plea argued that after the restoration of the amendments, the Al-Qadir Trust case involving 190 million pounds of alleged corruption holds no ground since the changes grant immunity to all decisions taken by the cabinet.

Khan had taken approval regarding the above money before awarding it to a business tycoon to settle his fine imposed by the apex court.

It was also pleaded that Khan’s acquittal plea may be clubbed with a similar petition earlier filed by Bushra Bibi, his wife.

After the NAB legal representatives opposed Khan’s plea, the court issued a notice to NAB and all other relevant parties for hearing arguments and adjourned the next hearing until Tuesday.

The case is based on the allegation that Khan and others adjusted Rs 50 billion — equivalent to 190 million pounds at the time — that was transferred by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to the Pakistani government.

This sum was part of a settlement with a leading property tycoon in Pakistan.

Khan and his wife allegedly received land worth billions of rupees from the property tycoon, intended for the construction of an educational institute. (PTI)