Islamabad [Pakistan], January 14 : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Barrister Gohar Khan on Monday rejected speculation that the delay in the 190 million pound verdict for PTI founder Imran Khan was due to a deal, The Express Tribune reported.
Speaking to reporters outside Adiala Jail, Barrister Gohar Khan said that the judge has taken the decision to postpone the announcement of the verdict at his own discretion and not due to any political agreement or negotiations.
Gohar Khan said, "We were waiting here today at Adiala, but the court staff informed us that the decision would now be announced on January 17." His statement came after an accountability court in Rawalpindi on Monday postponed the announcement of its verdict involving Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, for the third time in the Pound 190 million case.
He said that the attitude of the trial courts has been inappropriate and the cases registered against Imran Khan were fabricated to put pressure on PTI founder. He called the rumours of a deal unfounded, according to The Express Tribune report.
PTI chairman noted that legal team of Imran Khan's party had heard reports of negotiations set for January 15. However, he said that they were not related to the ongoing case. He said, "There is no connection between the negotiations and a deal."
Another PTI lawyer, Salman Akram Raja, expressed similar views, clarifying that the delay in verdict's announcement was not part of a political bargain. He emphasised that negotiations being discussed in the media should not be considered as part of any agreement about the case.
Barrister Gohar said that it is the responsibility of jail authorities to bring Imran Khan to court since he is in prison. He expressed a lack of trust in the trial courts. However, he insisted that PTI would continue to seek justice through higher courts, The Express Tribune reported.
Gohar Khan said, "We have no expectations from these courts, but we do hope for fairness in higher courts, and we will take this case to them."
PTI leader Omar Ayub termed the Al-Qadir case "a farce" and insisted that it lacked merit. He said, "The National Crime Agency (NCA) of the UK repatriated Pound 190 million, which was deposited in Pakistan's treasury following the Supreme Court's directives. Neither Imran Khan nor Bushra Bibi gained any personal benefit from this transaction."
He slammed political opponents Faisal Vawda and Khawaja Asif for their statements on the case, terming them "premature and baseless." PTI leader Shibli Faraz accused the authorities of deliberately delaying the verdict. He called it authorities' responsibility to ensure Imran Khan's presence in court.
An accountability court in Rawalpindi on Monday postponed the announcement of its verdict involving Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi in the Pound 190 million case. Judge Nasir Javed Rana stated that the verdict had been deferred due to the absence of the accused and their lawyers, The Express Tribune reported. Rana said that he reached the court at 8:30 am (local time) and issued two summons for Imran Khan to appear, however, both he and his wife did not show up in the court.
The prosecution team of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), along with the media and court staff, were in attendance in the courtroom. However, no one from the defence was present in the court. As a result of the absence of both the accused and their lawyers, the judge decided to delay the verdict. The verdict will now be announced on January 17. Previously, the Accountability Court postponed the verdict in the case twice. The last hearing was held at Adiala Jail on December 18, 2024.
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