The much-anticipated verdict in the £190 million case against PTI Chairman Imran Khan will be delivered on January 13.

Accountability Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana reserved the judgment on December 18, after a trial that lasted over a year. The initial verdict date of December 23 was postponed to January 6th and subsequently to January 13.

This is the only case against Khan that has proceeded to trial for such an extended period. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested Khan on November 13, 2023, in connection with the case, and interrogated him for 17 days at Adiala Jail. The case was formally filed in the Accountability Court on December 1, 2023. Following the filing, both Khan and Bushra Bibi (Khan’s wife) were interrogated in Adiala Jail. Charges were framed against them on February 27, 2024.

The trial involved over 100 hearings. NAB initially presented a list of 59 witnesses, 24 of whom were subsequently dropped. Testimony was recorded from 35 witnesses, with Khan’s defense counsel completing cross-examination of all of them. The defense also completed cross-examination of the investigating officer, Mian Umar Nadeem, after 38 hearings. Notable witnesses included former Principal Secretary Azam Khan, former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, former Federal Minister Zubeida Jalal, and the Chief Financial Officer of Al-Qader University.

The court declared six defendants, including Zulfi Bukhari, Farah Shahzadi, Mirza Shahzad Akbar, and Zia Mustafa Nasim, absconders and ordered the freezing of their assets and bank accounts. While the Islamabad High Court granted bail to Khan, Bushra Bibi’s pre-arrest bail was approved by the trial court.

During the trial, Khan submitted a list of 16 witnesses in his defense, but the court rejected his request to call them. He later withdrew his request to present witnesses.