Al-Qadir Trust case: Bushra Bibi says she has no knowledge about settlement with UK agency

Bushra Bibi, the wife of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, has issued a response to the notice sent to her by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) regarding the Al-Qadir Trust case. In her statement on Wednesday, she stated that she was not aware of the settlement between the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (UK-NCA) and property tycoon Malik Riaz.

The NAB had summoned Bushra Bibi and Imran Khan to appear at its Rawalpindi office on June 7, along with documents related to the registration, donations, and other details of the Al-Qadir University. The case alleges that the PTI chief and his wife received billions of rupees and hundreds of canals of land from Bahria Town Ltd to legalize Rs50 billion that was repatriated to Pakistan by the UK during the previous PTI government.

In her reply, a copy of which was obtained by Dawn.com, Bushra Bibi mentioned that Imran Khan had requested the bureau to reschedule the hearing to June 8 as he already had prior commitments at the Islamabad High Court and an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad. She also emphasized her adherence to strict purdah (veil) and requested to be accompanied by her husband when traveling to Islamabad, therefore asking the accountability bureau to shift her NAB appearance to Thursday.

Bushra Bibi further clarified that the donations made to the Al-Qadir University Project Trust were genuine and not disguised, solely intended for the benefit of the trust. She stated that all donations from Bahria Town Ltd, including land, buildings, and funds, were exclusively for the Al-Qadir University Project Trust and not for the personal use or benefit of any individual, including the trustees.

Regarding her involvement in the case, Bushra Bibi asserted that she had no personal knowledge or involvement in the proceedings between the UK-NCA and the Malik Riaz family, the terms of their settlement, the repatriation of funds, or the decisions made by the Federal Cabinet. She also clarified that she had not received any land, cash, gifts, or valuable items from Malik Riaz or any of his family members or Bahria Town Ltd.

Bushra Bibi informed NAB that the requested documents were in possession of the trust’s chief financial officer, who had already submitted certified copies to the bureau on May 23.