Imran, Bushra Bibi seek speedy hearing to suspend convictions in £190m case
Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, have filed an application with the Islamabad High Court (IHC) requesting an expedited hearing for their pleas to suspend their convictions in the £190 million case.
Earlier this year, Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were convicted in the £190 million case. Imran Khan was sentenced to 14 years in prison, while Bushra Bibi received a seven-year jail term. Accountability Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana announced the order in a courtroom inside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail.
In addition to the prison sentences, the court imposed fines of Rs1 million on Imran and Rs500,000 on Bushra. If the fines are not paid, Imran Khan will serve an additional six months in prison, and Bushra Bibi will face an extra three months.
According to documents, the petitions were filed through Barrister Salman Safdar on Tuesday, urging the court to schedule a hearing “without any further delay, as the petitions involve the fundamental issues of liberty and freedom.”
The petition further highlights that the announcement of the judgment has been delayed three times, raising concerns about the fairness and transparency of the judicial process.
The petition states, “The appeal against the conviction was duly filed on 27.01.2025. However, the Registrar’s Office raised objections, which were later removed, causing unnecessary delays.”
Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi expressed concerns over repeated delays caused by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), which has sought adjournments in the case. Despite assurances from the court, the suspension of sentences has not yet been reviewed.
“NAB has repeatedly sought adjournments on the pretext of engaging special prosecutors in this matter,” the petition says.
The petition points out that the case had already been scheduled for hearings four times. However, despite assurances to the counsel that a short adjournment would be given and a proper date would be set to decide the suspension petitions, no date has been provided yet.
It further notes that the Special Prosecutor appeared at the next hearing but again sought additional time. “The applicant is facing repeated prosecutions, and in two cases, he has already been acquitted, while in the Toshakhana case, this Honourable Court suspended his sentence with the consent of the prosecutor,” the petition adds.
The plea argues that, given the urgency of the matter and the nature of the relief sought, there should be no legal or procedural barriers preventing the scheduling of the application for sentence suspension. This application directly concerns the fundamental right to liberty, guaranteed under the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973.
The petition further states that the right to be treated according to the law is a fundamental right under Article 4 of the Constitution of Pakistan, which is being denied to the applicants due to unjust delays.
Liberty, guaranteed under Article 9, is also being violated as the request for sentence suspension continues to be unduly delayed. Despite judicial policy prioritising bail and suspension applications, the applicants’ case is being deprioritised without legal justification.
