The Islamabad High Court (IHC) reserved on Tuesday its decision on former prime minister Iman Khan plea for bail in the £190 million NAB reference.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri heard Imran Khan's bail plea in the PTI's £190 million reference.

Special Prosecutor NAB Amjad Parvez stated that out of 59 witnesses in the case, 39 have already recorded their statements. NAB has dropped ten witnesses, and six to eight more witnesses are expected to testify in this case.

He further stated that if the case reaches its final stage, instead of bail, directions are given to the trial court to decide the case promptly.

Following arguments, the bench reserved its decision on Imran Khan's bail application.

Last hearing

It is pertinent to mention that during the previous hearing, Imran Khan's counsel, Sardar Latif Khosa, informed the court that the frozen amount in the UK, which was transferred to Pakistan under the agreement, £190 million, has been transferred to the Supreme Court's account.

On April 29, when NAB's prosecutor did not appear in court, the court warned that they were being given a final warning, and if they failed to appear in court in the future, a decision would be made against them. It should be noted that on January 23, the former Prime Minister approached the court for bail in the £190 million case.

On February 27, Accountability Court Judge Naseer Javaid Rana heard the case in Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, against Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, for alleged corruption.

Yesterday, during the hearing of the £190 million reference against Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, statements of three witnesses were recorded, and objections on two were completed. The founders of PTI and Bushra Bibi were presented before the Accountability Court.

Subsequently, the court adjourned the hearing until May 15. In this reference, statements of a total of 30 witnesses have been recorded, and objections on 19 have been completed.

The reference

In the £190 million NAB reference, known as the 'Al-Qadir Trust case', it is alleged that Imran Khan and his wife acquired billions of rupees worth of land and assets from Bahria Town Limited in return for giving legal cover to £50 billion sent by the UK's National Crime Agency to the Pakistani government during the PTI government's tenure.

This case is related to the illegal acquisition and construction of land for Al-Qadir University, where illegal benefits of £140 million were obtained through the UK's National Crime Agency against Malik Riaz and his family for money laundering. Imran Khan is also accused of concealing facts regarding the contract related to this matter, deceiving the cabinet, and diverting the amount (£140 million) received under the settlement agreement, which was supposed to be deposited into the national treasury, towards the recovery of liabilities amounting to £450 billion in Bahria Town Karachi.