‘Gandapur used his influence to get Bushra Bibi sentenced in Al-Qadir Trust case’

Days after former prime minister (PM) Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case against them, senior journalist and analyst Dr Moeed Pirzada has alleged ‘foul play’ at the hands of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) chief minister (CM) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) loyalist Ali Amin Gandapur.

Former premier Khan and his wife were on Friday sentenced to 14 years and seven years in prison, respectively, as Judge Nasir Javed Rana announced the much-delayed verdict in the case pertaining to misappropriation of funds recovered by the United Kingdom’s (UK) National Crime Agency (NCA).

According to reporters present at the makeshift courtroom in Adiala Jail when the verdict was announced, Khan, who was “prepared for a conviction”, seemed uneasy over his wife’s sentencing that “came as a surprise”.

Reacting to eyewitness accounts of Khan’s reaction to the verdict, journalist Moeed Pirzada has said that Bushra’s conviction caught Khan off guard, going on to allege that it was a result of KP CM Gandapur using his influence to get rid of the former first lady.

“I have verified from multiple sources that this is actually what happened,” Pirzada said in a video, claiming that Khan had been conveyed the conditions of an alleged deal to avoid conviction in said case, but he also had the “assurance” that his wife won’t be sentenced.

“According to my source, KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur was at the helm in getting her [Bushra] sentenced. He wanted her to get locked up… away from limelight, because she was causing him headaches.”

He went on to claim that while all this put an end to speculations regarding Bushra Bibi’s alleged involvement with the establishment, the reason behind Gandapur’s alleged drastic step was the former first lady repeatedly challenging him and his decision-making.

“Their rift was also witnessed during the PTI’s November march on Islamabad when Bushra Bibi refused to call off or redirect the rallies until she had spoken to Imran Khan. At the protests, CM Gandapur’s guards were also seen using foul language for Bushra Bibi, which showed what Gandapur thought of her,” he claimed, adding that the KP chief executive believes he can control the province’s politics better in Bushra’s absence.

Pirzada went on to say that the PTI should initiate discussion to address the alleged rift and disclose the details of the situation.

It merits a mention that political pundits have long been claiming cracks within the PTI in jailed Imran Khan’s absence, saying that the party had divided into groups led by different leaders, including Khan’s family.

The government also claims that at least one of said groups want to keep the ousted former premier in jail so as to hijack the party.