Imran, Bushra move IHC to fix appeals in Toshakhana-I, £190m cases

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, on Friday approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking the urgent fixation of their appeals to set aside the conviction in the Toshakhana I case and to suspend the sentence in the £190 million corruption case, citing “inordinate delays” and “dilatory tactics” by the prosecution.

On March 31, the IHC adjourned the hearing of the suspension of sentence applications filed by Imran and Bushra in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case after the defence counsel sought time to obtain fresh instructions from his clients.

In a series of petitions filed under Section 561-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the couple has also requested that the court direct the jail authorities to facilitate unhindered meetings with their legal team for necessary consultations.

The petitioners, in their appeal filed today, sought the early fixation of appeals of the couple against conviction for final adjudication.

These appeals challenged the judgment delivered on January 31, 2024, by the Accountability Court No. 1, Islamabad, which convicted the couple in the Toshakhana I case and sentenced them to 14 years in Adiala Jail.

However, in April, 2024, the IHC suspended the sentences handed out to the former prime minister and his spouse.

The petitions submitted today argued that the trial court’s judgment was passed without the “proper application of judicial mind” and suffers from a “serious misreading and non-reading of material evidence”.

The petitions also highlighted Imran’s medical condition, specifically “right central retinal vein occlusion,” noting that the necessary treatment is unavailable within the premises of Adiala Jail.

It should be mentioned that the former premier’s health has garnered attention in recent months, most notably after his eye ailment came to light earlier this year.

The 54-year-old Bushra was described as a “parda-nasheen” lady with no history of holding public office, asserting that she has been implicated solely due to her marital relationship.

In a separate move, Bushra also filed an application seeking a decision on the merits regarding her plea for the suspension of her sentence in the Al-Qadir Trust case.

The application noted that her plea under Section 426 CrPC had been pending for over ten months, with notices originally issued on May 15, 2025.

The petition alleged that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has employed “procedural manoeuvring” and “dilatory tactics” to frustrate the proceedings.

It further stated that despite the court’s orders to fix the application, the matter has been repeatedly adjourned on various pretexts, including the non-availability of prosecutors or requests for more time to prepare.

The plea maintained that Bushra has already served over a year of her seven-year sentence and, as a female accused, is entitled to statutory leniency.

Both Imran and Bushra also raised serious concerns regarding their inability to meet with their legal counsel in Adiala Jail.

Seeking directions for the jail superintendent to facilitate “immediate and unhindered” meetings, Imran’s petition argues that the denial of visitation rights is a violation of Articles 9 (no person shall be deprived of life or liberty save in accordance with law), 10-A (right to fair trial), and 14 (the dignity of man and the privacy of the home shall be inviolable) of the Constitution.

Meanwhile, in a separate application, lead counsel Barrister Salman Safdar stated that he has been denied access to his clients for approximately three months, making it impossible to obtain “fresh instructions” to proceed with the main appeals.

The petition, filed through a legal team including Safdar, Salman Akram Raja, and Barrister Ali Zafar, also emphasised that “justice should not only be done but also be seen to be done,” urging the IHC to ensure the expeditious disposal of these matters to prevent “irreparable loss”. Staff Report