Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi Given 14-Page Questionnaire in £190 Million Settlement Case
Imran Khan, the jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder, and his wife, Bushra Bibi, who was recently granted bail, have been handed a 14-page questionnaire in connection with the £190 million settlement case. The document, containing 79 questions, was provided for their final statements under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1898.
During the recent hearing, their counsel, Salman Safdar, received the questionnaire in the presence of both accused. The court has directed the couple to submit their responses by November 11.
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The questionnaire reportedly probes whether Khan and his associates obtained “monetary benefits,” including 458 kanals of land, in exchange for facilitating the “illegal and dishonest transfer/adjustment” of £171.159 million out of the £190 million intended for the State of Pakistan. According to the court, former special assistant Shahzad Akbar allegedly acted “in connivance” with Khan, creating a misleading note on December 2, 2019, which presented the funds as being allocated for Pakistan’s benefit, while obscuring the actual land agreement.
In particular, the court inquired about Khan’s involvement in a December 3, 2019, cabinet meeting where he reportedly insisted on approving a paragraph of the note without any discussion on its additional agenda. “Upon your insistence and under your influence, the additional agenda was approved without deliberation,” the court stated, seeking Khan’s response on this matter.
The November 7 hearing marked the completion of cross-examinations of 35 witnesses in Adiala Jail. The defense and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had engaged in intense questioning over several months, concluding this phase of the proceedings. Bushra Bibi’s lawyer, Usman Gul, completed cross-examinations in 14 hearings.
Background on the £190 Million Case
The £190 million case revolves around allegations that Imran Khan and co-accused officials adjusted Rs50 billion—equivalent to £190 million—transferred by Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to Pakistan following a settlement with a property tycoon. In December 2019, Khan, then the prime minister, secured cabinet approval for the settlement with the NCA, reportedly without disclosing the agreement’s details.
As part of the arrangement, the funds were to be deposited in the Supreme Court on behalf of the property tycoon. NAB claims that Khan and his wife received valuable land from the tycoon, ostensibly to establish an educational institute, in exchange for legitimizing funds acquired from the UK crime agency.
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