Imran Khan’s bail cancelled in NCA scandal worth 190 million pounds

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad on Thursday cancelled the interim bail of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in connection with the National Crime Agency (NCA) 190 million pounds scandal, ARY News reported on Thursday. The case was heard by the Accountability Court No.1, Islamabad Judge Muhammad Bashir.

PTI Chairman lawyer Khawaja Haris and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) deputy prosecutor general Sardar Muzaffar appeared before the court. After hearing the arguments from both parties, the court cancelled the interim bail of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman over "non-pursuance".

Notably, the NAB had launched an investigation against Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi and others for the alleged gain of hundreds of canals of land in the name of Al Qadir University Trust, which reportedly caused a loss of 190 million pounds to the national exchequer, ARY News reported. As per the allegations, the former prime minister and others accused allegedly adjusted Rs50 billion — 190 million pounds at the time — sent by Britain's National Crime Agency (NCA) to the government, ARY News reported.

Imran Khan registered Trust for Al-Qadir University Project on Dec 26, 2019. Meanwhile, a Pakistan district and sessions court on August 5, sentenced PTI Chairman Imran Khan to three years in prison in the Toshakhana case i.e. for illegally selling state gifts and he has been disqualified from politics for a period of five years, local media reported.

The PTI Chairman was arrested from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore soon after being convicted in the Toshakhana case. The court also imposed a fine of Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 100,000 on Imran Khan, Geo News reported. Khan, who has expressed his disappointment over being in jail and said that he doesn't want to stay there, Pakistan-based Geo News reported. While speaking to his lawyers in the Attock jail, Imran Khan said, "Take me out of here; I don't want to remain in jail," according to the officials. The PTI Chairman Imran Khan also stated that he remains holed up inside his prison cell in "distressing" conditions, as per the sources.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's meeting with the leader of the opposition Raja Riaz is also set to take place on Thursday, as the process to appoint a caretaker PM enters its final phase, ARY News reported citing sources. This comes as Pakistan's President Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly on Wednesday night after prime minister Shehbaz Sharif forwarded a summary to President Dr Arif Alvi for dissolution of the lower house of the Parliament.