The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of suspension of sentence applications filed by Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi in the £190 million corruption case, after the defence sought time to obtain fresh instructions from the petitioners.
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A division bench headed by Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and comprising Justice Muhammad Asif heard the matter.
During proceedings, defence counsel Salman Safdar argued that his clients had been convicted on January 17, 2025, and despite the passage of over a year, the prosecution had repeatedly delayed the case. He requested suspension of sentence and bail on medical grounds.
The prosecution, represented by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials, maintained that such applications could not be heard without issuing notices in the main appeals, particularly in light of recent amendments to NAB laws.
The bench questioned whether the defence was prepared to proceed with arguments in the main appeals and even suggested fixing multiple hearing days per week. However, Safdar stated he had been unable to meet or obtain instructions from his clients for the past five months, making it difficult to proceed.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court granted time to the defence and adjourned the hearing until April 6.
The case, commonly known as the Al-Qadir Trust case, involves allegations that the couple obtained financial benefits and land from a private housing scheme in exchange for legalizing funds repatriated to Pakistan from the United Kingdom. An accountability court had sentenced Imran Khan to 14 years and Bushra Bibi to seven years in prison in January 2025.
Imran Khan, who has been in custody since August 2023, is currently incarcerated at Adiala Jail and also faces additional cases, including those related to Toshakhana and the May 9 unrest.
