ISLAMABAD: An Accountability Court on Wednesday extended the interim bail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former premier Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi till July 31 in the £190 million National Crime Agency (NCA) scam commonly known as the Al-Qadir Trust case and the Toshakhana case.

Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir, while hearing the cases, extended Khan and wife’s bail and also sought final arguments during the next hearing. The PTI chief appeared before the court along with his legal team.

At the start of the hearing, the judge inquired about the PTI chief’s lead counsel Khawaja Haris. Another lawyer of PTI chairman Barrister Salman Safdar told the court that as per his information, Haris is busy in the Supreme Court and then he will go to Islamabad High Court (IHC) for appearing in another case.

The judge again asked whether Haris will attend the proceedings or not. The court took a break till the arrival of the PTI chief’s counsel Haris as well as marked the attendance of Khan and allow him to go.

Khan’s lawyer filed an application seeking an exemption for Bushra Bibi from personal appearance before the court which the court approved.

Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, PTI chief’s lawyer also told the court that Haris is in the apex court and then he will go to IHC.

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Deputy Prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi told the court that they make such kind of excuses at every hearing.

The judge remarked that then the hearing of the case will be fixed for Thursday (today).

Barrister Gohar told the court that the PTI chief will appear before IHC as per the direction of the apex court. He requested the court to fix the hearing of the case after Muharram holidays.

The court extended interim bail of Khan till July 31 and sought final arguments during the next hearing.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023