ISLAMABAD: Strongly condemning the conviction of ex-prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday vowed to challenge the decision in higher courts, calling it politically motivated.
Speaking at a presser outside Parliament House, the PTI lawmakers led by the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub said that the party would knock the doors of superior courts as conviction of leader who never misused the money, is in no way justified.
Labelling the ruling a “dark day” in Pakistan’s judicial history, he questioned the connection between the funds involved and the PTI leadership, asserting that the Supreme Court received the money, not Imran Khan or Bushra Bibi.
Shortly after the news of the Al-Qadir Trust case verdict was flashed on television screens, PTI MNAs and senators assembled in front of Parliament House with placards inscribed with different slogans and strongly condemned against the verdict.
Calling it a “Black Day”, the opposition leader in the Senate Shibli Faraz said that the party would challenge the verdict in the superior courts, which he believed will ultimately render it null and void. He said that “in this country, thieves roam freely, while the innocent and honest individuals who walk the path of righteousness are being targeted, which is a big question mark on our judiciary.”
He emphasised that Al-Qadir University, set up to teach and promote the life of the holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Islamic education, had caused no loss to the national kitty, nor had Imran Khan or Bushra Bibi derived any personal benefit from it.
He highlighted Imran Khan’s legacy, citing the establishment of Namal University and Pakistan’s largest network of cancer hospitals, which primarily serves patients who cannot afford medical care, providing them with high-quality treatment free of cost.
He said that a man who built Namal University, established biggest private sector cancer hospitals – one of its kind across multiple cities in Pakistan – is being punished for setting up Al-Qadir University.
The opposition leader lamented the state of governance and accountability in Pakistan, claiming this is the only country on planet Earth where the rule of law and the supremacy of the constitution do not exist at all.
He reiterated PTI’s commitment to seek justice through legal means, saying the party would take the issue to other courts, as we did in the past, whether it was the Cipher case, Toshakhana case or any other case which the courts threw out.
“A new dawn will come, God willing! We remain steadfast and are committed to the rule of law and the supremacy of the constitution, and we will continue to operate within that framework, God willing!” he declared.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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