Former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi have filed a sentence suspension plea in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), urging an early hearing of their appeals in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case. Both are currently serving prison terms—14 years for Imran and seven years for Bushra—following their conviction in January.
Early Hearing Demanded
On Tuesday, the couple moved the IHC for swift adjudication. Their counsel stressed that delays in hearing the suspension plea violated the constitutional right to liberty and due process.
Delays and Legal Concerns
The appeal accused the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) of intentionally delaying the case by repeatedly seeking adjournments under the pretext of engaging special prosecutors. Hearings have taken place on May 15, May 27, June 5, and June 26, but no definitive date has been fixed.
Read: Monsoon Alert: Heavy Rainfall to Lash Pakistan in Coming Days
The petition highlighted that the sentence suspension application, filed under Section 426 of the Criminal Procedure Code, deserves priority. However The counsel said this delay deprioritizes the case unlawfully, violating Article 4, which ensures equal treatment under the law.
Bushra Cites Gender-Based Bias
Bushra Bibi’s separate application stressed that, as a woman, she faces continued legal harassment with “malicious intent.” It cited her involvement in 13 cases, including the controversial iddat case, from which she has been acquitted. The plea emphasized that Pakistani and Islamic law both support leniency for women in bail matters.
Case Background
The Al-Qadir Trust case accuses Imran and Bushra of accepting massive land parcels and funds from Bahria Town to legalize £190 million returned to Pakistan by UK authorities.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook,, X and TikTok for latest updates