ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court has fixed the main appeals of the PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the £190 million case for hearing on May 7, while rejecting a request to prioritise pleas seeking their release on bail.
A division bench comprising IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif decided to proceed with hearing the main appeals filed by the former premier and his wife against their convictions in the £190m case.
An accountability court in Islamabad had earlier sentenced the PTI founder to 14 years’ imprisonment with a fine of Rs1 million, while Bushra was awarded seven years’ imprisonment along with a fine of Rs500,000. The court rejected a request to take up the sentence suspension pleas first, which sought the duo’s release on bail pending a decision on the main appeals.
It subsequently disposed of those applications as “infructuous”, observing that the main appeals had already been fixed for hearing, making separate consideration unnecessary. The defence counsel had argued that the suspension pleas should be heard in advance to secure interim relief before detailed proceedings begin.
On the other hand, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) maintained that once the main appeals had been scheduled for hearing, the sentence suspension applications could not be entertained separately, and should not be prioritised ahead of the appeals.
Earlier in March, the court imposed a fine of Rs100,000 on the anti-corruption watchdog’s special prosecutor for using delaying tactics in proceedings in this case.
Khan, who has been in jail since August 2023, faces several cases ranging from corruption to terrorism, following his ouster from power through the opposition’s no-confidence motion in April 2022.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram Monday strongly criticised the IHC decision.
He termed the court’s decision deeply disappointing and troubling. He contended that denying relief despite the pendency of appeals reflects selective justice, warning that such actions are eroding public confidence in the judiciary.
PTI spokesman urged the court to implement its own orders regarding meetings between Imran Khan, his spouse, and their family members. He noted that restrictions on such meetings are inhumane and violate basic legal and constitutional rights.
Waqas reiterated PTI’s demand for justice based on merit, transparency, and fairness, urging the judiciary to rise above external pressures and uphold the rule of law.
Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday issued a notice to PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, seeking a response in a petition regarding the closure of the party founder’s X (formerly Twitter) account.
Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir also sought a reply from jail authorities in a contempt of court case filed by Advocate Salman Akram Raja over denial of meetings with the PTI founder.
During the proceedings, Advocate Salman Akram Raja appeared before the court and informed the bench that the jail authorities had still not provided him with his power of attorney signed by the PTI founder.
“We do not wish to abandon this case either,” he said. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir noted that all parties had submitted their para-wise comments.
The petitioner’s counsel further pointed out that the court had previously asked the state counsel why a meeting with the party founder had not been arranged. The judge then observed, “PTI is also a party in this matter.
“Advocate Salman Akram Raja submitted that the party founder has a personal X account. “Alright, we issue notice to the PTI chairman and seek a reply,” Justice Tahir stated. The court subsequently adjourned the hearing of the case for one week.
