ISLAMABAD: The Isla­mabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday expressed displeasure at the absence of the investigation officer during the hearing on the petition seeking post-arrest bail for former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in a £190 million corruption case.

The IHC division bench, comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, resumed hearing on the bail petitions. Special prosecutor of the National Accounta­bility Bureau (NAB), Amjad Pervaiz, was also absent.

His associate informed the court that since there was no intimation about the fixing of the case, Mr Pervaiz could not come from Lahore. Justice Farooq responded that the bail petitions are automatically fixed after a certain period.

The court, however, asked the counsel of Mr Khan, Sardar Latif Khan Khosa, to advance the arguments. Mr Khosa argued that the amount in question was transferred from the UK to Pakistan under an agreement, which was then deposited into the Supreme Court’s account.

Justice Jahangiri inquired about how the amount landed in the SC’s accounts. Mr Khosa replied that it was transferred under a confidential deed signed by the then adviser on accountability, Miraz Shahzad Akbar.

Advocate Khosa added that the Supreme Court opened an account into which Malik Riaz was asked to deposit Rs460 billion. Justice Jahangiri further inquired if the amount was crime proceeds and why it was frozen in the UK.

The counsel replied that it was a suspicious transaction, which was later cleared.

The court questioned why the adviser of the then prime minister was a signatory of an agreement between the National Crime Agency UK and the property tycoon Malik Riaz, and why the private agreement was presented before the federal cabinet for approval.

The court adjourned further hearing till April 29.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2024