Islamabad High Court Gives Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi’s Lawyers Two Weeks to Begin Appeal Arguments

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has granted former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, a final two-week adjournment before their legal team begins arguments in the appeals against their convictions in the high-profile £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case.

The decision came during Monday’s hearing before a division bench headed by Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfaraz Dogar. The court also dismissed contempt petitions filed by the couple after observing that the required powers of attorney had already been signed, making those petitions no longer relevant.

Court Urges Defence to Begin Appeal Proceedings

At the start of the hearing, the bench directed the defence to proceed with arguments in the main appeals. However, defence counsel requested additional time, explaining that an appeal related to an earlier court order is currently pending before the Supreme Court.

Senior members of the legal team assured the court that they would begin detailed arguments at the next hearing. Accepting the request, the Islamabad High Court granted a final two-week adjournment and fixed the appeals for hearing after that period.

Contempt Petitions Disposed Of

The contempt petitions had been filed after the defence argued that the necessary legal documents had not been made available.

During the hearing, government representatives informed the court that the required powers of attorney had already been executed. After reviewing the matter, the bench concluded that the issue had been resolved and dismissed the contempt petitions as having become ineffective.

Separate Petitions on Detention Conditions Move Forward

In another development, a separate bench of the Islamabad High Court removed procedural objections raised by the registrar’s office against petitions challenging the alleged solitary confinement of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.

The court directed that both petitions be formally registered while making it clear that the question of whether they are legally maintainable will be decided during future judicial proceedings.

During arguments, counsel for the petitioners alleged that both prisoners had been kept in prolonged isolation and requested immediate judicial intervention. NAB’s legal representative opposed the petitions, arguing that the issue had already been addressed through previous proceedings.

Following initial arguments from both sides, the court scheduled the matter for further hearing.

Background of the £190 Million Case

Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were convicted in January 2025 by an accountability court in the National Accountability Bureau’s £190 million reference, commonly known as the Al-Qadir Trust case.

The prosecution alleges that the couple received financial and land-related benefits linked to the settlement of funds returned to Pakistan from the United Kingdom. The defence has denied wrongdoing and challenged the convictions before the Islamabad High Court.

The appeals remain pending, and the next hearing is expected to focus on the defence’s detailed legal arguments regarding the convictions.

What Comes Next?

The upcoming hearing will be significant, as the defence has undertaken to formally begin its arguments after the two-week adjournment. The outcome of the appeals could become one of the most closely watched legal developments in Pakistan’s political landscape in the coming weeks.

As proceedings continue, attention is expected to remain on both the appeal against the convictions and the separate petitions concerning the couple’s detention conditions.

Source:

Dawn, Islamabad High Court proceedings, Times of India.