On Friday, a Rawalpindi accountability court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for former first lady Bushra Bibi in response to her ongoing failure to attend court hearings in the £190 million corruption case.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) lodged a corruption reference against Imran Khan, the founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and seven others, including his wife, in December of last year. The reference was related to the Al-Qadir University.
The case alleges that Imran and Bushra Bibi acquired billions of rupees and land valued at hundreds of canals from Bahria Town Ltd. in exchange for legalizing Rs 50 billion that was identified and returned to the country by the UK during the previous PTI government.
In February, the couple was indicted in the case. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued a comprehensive order on November 15 regarding the duo’s appeals for acquittal in the corruption reference. The case was remanded to the accountability court with a directive to rule on it.
The acquittal petitions were dismissed by the accountability court earlier this year, and Imran’s legal team subsequently challenged the decision before the IHC. At first, the accountability court was prohibited from passing a judgment by the high court; however, the stay order was subsequently vacated by the detailed order.
Responsibility Today, the hearing at Adiala Jail was officiated by Judge Nasir Javed Rana. The hearing was not attended by Bushra Bibi, who requested an exemption on medical grounds.
While the judge issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for her continuous non-attendance, the hearing was postponed until November 26.
The warrant, which was directed to NAB Deputy Director Mian Umar Nadeem, stated that she was “deliberately not appearing in front of the court.” Consequently, the watchdog was obligated and authorized to apprehend her and present her before the court at the upcoming hearing.
On October 24, she was released from Adiala Jail, one day after being granted parole in a new Toshakhana case against her and Imran. This marked the conclusion of nearly nine months of her detention.
Following the Toshakhana reference, the former first lady was apprehended on January 31 by an Islamabad accountability court, which sentenced her and Imran to 14 years in prison.
On Tuesday, the Peshawar High Court extended her protective parole until December 23 and instructed law enforcement agencies to refrain from apprehending her in any of the cases until then.
In the new Toshakhana case, Imran’s release order was issued today after he was granted bail by the IHC on Wednesday, according to his counsel, Khalid Yousaf Chaudry. The release order stipulated that Imran would be released if he was not previously sought in any other capacity.
He also stated that the release order was submitted to the Adiala Jail administration.
Nevertheless, the PTI founder was delayed in his release from Adiala Jail, as he is still required to secure parole in nearly two dozen additional cases. Additionally, Rawalpindi police apprehended him late on Wednesday night on terrorism allegations that were associated with a protest that took place in September.
The Chief Minister of Gandapur has been declared an absconder.
In the meantime, it was revealed today that Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra declared Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur a proclaimed absconder in a case registered at the I-9 police station a day ago.
“Ali Amin Gandapur has deliberately concealed himself to evade arrest,” stated the order. “Consequently, Ali Amin Gandapur, the accused, is hereby declared a proclaimed offender.”
