IHC Gives Defence Two Weeks in Imran, Bushra Al-Qadir Appeals
The Islamabad High Court on Monday gave PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi’s defence team two weeks to begin arguments in their appeals against conviction in the Al-Qadir Trust case, a major legal development in one of Pakistan’s most closely watched political cases. The court also disposed of contempt petitions after noting that the required powers of attorney had been signed.
The proceedings took place before an IHC division bench comprising Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfaraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif. The bench heard matters connected to the couple’s appeals in the £190 million reference, in which an accountability court had sentenced Imran Khan to 14 years and Bushra Bibi to seven years in prison in January 2025.
At the start of the hearing, the bench expressed displeasure over the manner in which members of the defence team approached the rostrum. The court made it clear that proceedings would move according to law and that the receipt of signed powers of attorney had removed the basis for the contempt petitions filed earlier by the petitioners.
Barrister Salman Safdar, Salman Akram Raja and other lawyers appeared for the defence, while PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Advocate Latif Khosa, Aleema Khan and several party leaders were also present. The defence side sought additional time, arguing that related proceedings had also been moved before the Supreme Court.
The Islamabad advocate general told the bench that the defence had earlier created confusion over the signing of powers of attorney, saying the jail authorities had contacted counsel after the previous hearing to facilitate the process. The bench observed that since the documents had now been signed, the contempt applications were no longer required to proceed.
The court then turned to the main appeals and asked the defence to start arguments. When the lawyers requested more time, the chief justice warned that the court could call upon the NAB prosecutor to begin submissions if the appellants were not prepared to proceed. After repeated requests, the bench accepted a two-week adjournment on the undertaking that arguments would begin on the next date.
The Al-Qadir Trust case has remained politically sensitive because it involves allegations that Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi received financial and land benefits from Bahria Town in connection with the settlement of funds returned to Pakistan by the United Kingdom during the PTI government. The former prime minister and his wife have challenged their convictions before the high court.
In a related development, another IHC bench removed registrar office objections to petitions challenging the alleged solitary confinement of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi. The petitions were filed by Aleema Khan on behalf of the PTI founder and by Bushra Bibi’s daughter Mubashara Khawar Maneka, with the court directing that the petitions be numbered while leaving maintainability to the judicial side.
The solitary confinement pleas allege that both Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi have been kept in highly restrictive conditions and denied normal prison facilities, including regular access to family, lawyers and information. The prosecution questioned whether such claims could be raised through fresh constitutional petitions when related matters had already surfaced during appeal proceedings.
The court’s decision keeps the focus firmly on the appeal stage, where the defence will now be expected to present substantive arguments after the short adjournment. The next hearing will be important not only for the legal fate of the Al-Qadir convictions but also for the broader political debate over accountability cases, prison conditions and the handling of high-profile opposition figures in Pakistan.