The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed on Friday a corruption reference against former prime minister Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi and other suspects in the Al-Qadir Trust case, Aaj News reported.

The reference was filed by NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Muzafar Abbasi and investigative officer Umar Nadeem in an accountability court in Islamabad.

In total 8 people have been named in the reference including Farhat Shahzadi aka Farah Gogi, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Zulfi Bukhari, Shahzad Akbar and Barrister Zia-ul-Mustafa Naseem.

On Thursday, the PTI chairman filed a petition through his lawyers, Sardar Latif Khosa, Intezar Panjotha, and Ali Ijaz. NAB’s chairman and director general (DG) NAB have been made parties in the petition.

The plea said the petitioner has been a former prime minister and a well-known cricketer, while cases are being filed against him on political grounds due to which his reputation is badly damaged.

In the petition, the former PM requested that his post-arrest bail be approved until a judgment is made in the case.

Al-Qadir Trust case background

NAB launched an inquiry into Al-Qadir University Trust in March, before turning it into an investigation on April 28.

According to NAB, Imran and his wife obtained billions of rupees and land measuring hundreds of kanals from Malik Riaz of Bahria Town in return for Rs 50 billion that was paid as a settlement with the National Crime Agency (NCA) of the UK and the same was adjusted in lieu of a fine imposed on him by the Supreme Court.

In May, a heavy contingent of Rangers arrested the PTI chief in the case at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) premises where he was seeking bail in multiple FIRs registered against him.

Later, the IHC declared Imran’s arrest on the court’s premises “legal”.