Senator Faisal Vawda has said that negotiators from both the government and PTI want Imran Khan to remain in jail.
Commenting on the announcement of the £190 million verdict, he warned PTI against filing an appeal in the Supreme Court, predicting it would end in disappointment.
Speaking to a private television channel, Vawda criticized the handling of corruption cases under the PTI government.
“When the Cabinet was presented with this disastrous order, I said it would end in prison. This was always a straightforward, open-and-shut case,” he said.
Vawda also accused PTI leaders of mishandling a settlement with the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), saying, “A loss of Rs 100 billion was inflicted on the country. Evidence of corruption is clear.”
The senator also did not spare Imran Khan, alleging that his political and personal changes since 2018 led to the downfall of the party. “Before 2018, Imran Khan was honest. But his new marriage brought chaos, corruption and conflict,” Vawda claimed.
He also criticized the changing attitude of Pakistan’s military. “Yesterday the army was praised; today it is criticized. This discrepancy is harmful,” he added.
Predicting further unrest, Vawda noted that ongoing talks and political strategies would bring little relief to the PTI. “On January 20, the so-called ‘trump card’ will lose its effect and despair will grow,” he said.
Highlighting internal discord, Vawda claimed that several ministers from Khan’s tenure have testified against him on condition of anonymity. “Their press conferences today hide the truth of their past betrayal,” he alleged.
Vawda concluded by stressing that Imran Khan faces several legal challenges, adding: “The tough times have only begun and they will continue.”
Imran, Bushra sentenced in £190m case; sentenced to 14 and 7 years respectively
Former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were sentenced on Friday in the £190 million case. Imran Khan was sentenced to 14 years in prison, while Bushra Bibi was given seven years in prison.
Accountability Judge Nasir Javed Rana announced the order in a courtroom inside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where Imran had been detained for over a year.
In addition to the jail terms, 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 an additional six months in prison and Bushra Bibi will face an additional three months.
The judgment also declared that the property belonging to the “sham trust”, the Al-Qadir University Project Trust, must be forfeited to the federal government in accordance with Section 10(a) of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999.
The verdict was announced under tight security outside the prison. After the verdict, Bushra Bibi was immediately arrested in the courtroom.
It is to be noted that Justice Rana had reserved his judgment in the case on December 18, while adjourning 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 hearing, the verdict was once again not disclosed as the judge attended a training session arranged for all district and sessions judges.
Before the final hearing of the case, court staff informed the lawyers for Imran and Bushra that the judge would announce the verdict on January 13, but on that day the court once again postponed the announcement of its verdict after Imran Khan and his wife failed . to appear in court.
