The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has approved the bail petition of Imran Khan, founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), in the £190 million National Crime Agency (NCA) settlement reference.
This decision follows a reserved verdict by a two-member bench, including IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, after the conclusion of arguments by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor Amjad Parvez.
In December of the previous year, the NAB filed a £190 million NCA reference against Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, and others. Notable among the accused mentioned in the reference are Farhat Shezadi (Farah Gogi), Mirza Shehzad Akbar, and Zulfi Bukhari.
According to the NAB Rawalpindi, the accused individuals colluded to commit acts of corruption and other corrupt practices, as defined and punishable under the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999.
Read: Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi Sentenced to 7 Years in Nikah Case
The IHC, in its brief order today, directed the authorities to release the PTI founder on a surety bond of Rs1 million. While the court announced the summary judgment verbally, a detailed order is expected to follow later.
Imran Khan, who was ousted from power via an opposition’s no-confidence motion in April 2022, has been entangled in a series of legal challenges ranging from corruption to terrorism charges since his removal from office. He has been in detention since August of the previous year, following his sentencing in the Toshakhana case and subsequent convictions in other legal matters, including cipher and illegal marriage cases.
Despite the bail relief in the £190 million reference, Khan will remain incarcerated due to his convictions in other cases.
