The verdict was announced by Judge Nasir Javed Rana in a makeshift courtroom at Adiala Jail. The court also imposed fine amounting to Rs1 million on Imran and Rs500,000 on Bushra.
According to the verdict, property of the “sham trust ‘Al-Qadir University Project Trust’ is hereby forfeited to the Federal Government within the meaning of Section 10(a) of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999”.
The verdict reads: “Both the convicts are present before the Court, they be taken into custody in this case and be handed over to the Superintendent Jail along with the Committal Warrant to serve the sentences so awarded,” it added.
In the case, Imran and Bushra are accused of obtaining billions of rupees and land worth hundreds of kanals from Bahria Town Ltd for legalising Rs50 billion that was identified and returned to the country by the United Kingdom during the previous PTI government.
The PTI founder was incarcerated in August 2023 in a series of legal cases, which he claims were “politically motivated”. Last year, he was acquitted in the cipher and Iddat cases but was charged in the Toshakhana 2 case in December. He is also embroiled in a series of other cases.
Speaking to reporters inside the courtroom after his conviction, Imran rejected the notion of entering a deal with anyone to get himself freed from prison.
He said, “I will neither make any deal nor seek any relief. Those who stand against dictatorship are punished.”
Commenting on the verdict, PTI leader Omar Ayub questioned the justice system and asked why PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s son was not questioned about taking money outside of the country against the law.
“Hassan Nawaz should have been questioned about how he took money outside the country, that was used to buy [property] in Hyde Park, but nobody asks this question. We condemn this, and we will be challenging the verdict in superior courts,” he noted.
Speaking to reporters outside Adiala Jail, Barrister Gohar strongly denounced the verdict, terming it “unjust”, “shameful,” and a case of “political victimisation.”
Gohar said, “The behaviour of the court has been unjust. Khan sahib has not benefitted from a single rupee from this matter.”
He went on to say that Imran was not the owner of the Al-Qadir University Project. “He is just a trustee. It is a tragedy that in a country that takes pride in holding conferences for women, a woman – who is a trustee of a philanthropic endeavour which would educate children – has been sentenced to seven years in prison. It is shameful.
“We want to tell the world: Khan sahib has done no wrong. He has committed no crime. He has reaped no benefit. He has misused no authority. He does not incur any criminal liability. This is a baseless and political victimisation case. It is nothing more than a political witchhunt. God willing this will go. Khan will not give up.”
