Court issues non-bailable arrest warrants for Malik Riaz, 5 others in Al-Qadir Trust reference

An Islamabad accountability court on Monday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for property tycoon Malik Riaz, former special assistants to the prime minister Mirza Shahzad Akbar and Zulfi Bukhari, and three others in the reference filed in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust case.

The other three persons for whom Non-bailable arrest warrants were issued include Farhat Shahzadi aka Farah Gogi, a close friend of the spouse of ex-premier Imran Khan, lawyer Ziaul Mustafa Nasim, and Malik Riaz’s son Ali Ahmed Riaz.

Islamabad Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir issued a written order on Monday stating that Imran Khan is already in judicial remand and was produced in court in connection with the cipher case and that the 190 million-pound scam had been completely scrutinised by the registrar.

The court also approved the reference for the trial and issued non-bailable arrest warrants for other suspects, barring Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.

He directed that a notice be issued to the superintendent of Adiala Jail where the former prime minister is lodged to produce the ex-chairman PTI in the next hearing on December 6 (Wednesday).

The order further stated that the trial proceedings in the reference will be conducted in Adiala Jail or wherever the persons named in the case are imprisoned as per the notification issued by the Ministry of Law on November 14.

Last week, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed a reference against former Prime Minister Imran Khan and 7 people including his wife Bushra Bibi in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust case.

The case alleges that Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi acquired billions of rupees and hundreds of kanals of land from Bahria Town Limited for a legal status of Rs 50 billion which was identified by Britain during the previous PTI regime and returned to the country.

In the reference filed by NAB, it is alleged that Imran Khan, who is in jail, was instrumental in the illegal transfer of funds to the State of Pakistan in an account designated for payment of land by Bahria Town Karachi.

It is also claimed in the reference that despite being given several opportunities to justify and provide information, the accused deliberately and maliciously refused to provide information under one pretext or the other.