Senator Faisal Vawda has said that negotiators from both the government and the PTI want Imran Khan to remain in prison.
Commenting on the announcement of the verdict in the £190 million case, he warned the PTI against filing an appeal to the high court, predicting it would end in disappointment.
Speaking to a private television channel, Vawda criticized the handling of corruption cases during the PTI government.
“When this disastrous order was presented to the cabinet, I said I would end up in prison. “This was always a simple, open and shut case,” he said.
Vawda also accused PTI leaders of mishandling a deal with the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), saying: “A loss of Rs 100 billion was inflicted on the country. The evidence of corruption is clear.”
The senator also did not forgive Imran Khan, alleging that his political and personal changes since 2018 led to the party’s downfall. “Before 2018, Imran Khan was honest. However, his remarriage brought chaos, corruption and infighting,” Vawda said.
He also criticized the change in stance towards the Pakistan army. “Yesterday the army was praised; Today it is being criticized. “This inconsistency is harmful,” he added.
Predicting further unrest, Vawda commented that the ongoing political talks and strategies would bring little relief to the PTI. “On January 20, the so-called ‘trump card’ will lose its effect and desperation will increase,” he said.
Highlighting internal dissent, Vawda claimed that several ministers under Khan have testified against him under conditions of anonymity. “His press conferences today hide the truth of his previous betrayals,” he alleged.
Vawda concluded by emphasizing that Imran Khan faces more legal challenges and added, “The difficult times have only just begun and will persist.”
Imran and Bushra convicted in £190m case; sentenced to 14 and 7 years respectively
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were convicted on Friday in the £190 million case. Imran Khan was sentenced to 14 years in prison, while Bushra Bibi was sentenced to seven years in prison.
Accountability Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana announced the order in a courtroom inside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where Imran had been detained for more than a year.
In addition to the prison sentences, the court imposed fines of Rs 1 million on Imran and Rs 500,000 on Bushra. If the fines are not paid, Imran Khan will serve a further six months in prison and Bushra Bibi will face three more months.
The verdict also declared that the property of the “sham trust”, the Al-Qadir University Project Trust, will be forfeited to the Federal Government in accordance with Section 10(a) of the National Accountability Ordinance of 1999.
The verdict was announced amid tight security outside the jail. Following the verdict, Bushra Bibi was immediately arrested in the courtroom.
It may be noted that Justice Rana had reserved his verdict in the case on December 18 and adjourned the case till December 23. However, on December 23, the court postponed the announcement of the order without giving any reason.
On January 6, the next date of the hearing, the verdict was also not made public as the judge was attending a training session organized for all district and session judges.
Before the last hearing of the case, the court staff informed Imran and Bushra’s lawyers that the judge was going to announce the verdict on January 13, but on that day, the court once again postponed the announcement of its verdict after that Imran Khan and his wife failed. appear before the court.
