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IHC Adjourns Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi Sentence Suspension Hearing to April 6
Islamabad High Court delays hearing on Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi’s sentence suspension in £190m case till April 6 after defence seeks time to consult clients.
ND
by News Desk
2026-03-31
IHC Adjourns Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi Sentence Suspension Hearing to April 6

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of sentence suspension applications filed by former prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi in the £190 million corruption case, after the defence requested time to seek fresh instructions from their clients.

The proceedings were conducted by a division bench led by IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, alongside Justice Muhammad Asif.

During the hearing, defence counsel Salman Safdar appeared before the court, while the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was represented by Special Prosecutor Javed Ashraf and prosecutor Rafay Maqsood. The hearing was also attended by Imran Khan’s sisters, including Aleema Khanum, Uzma Khan, and Noreen Niazi.

At the outset, NAB’s prosecutor argued that two separate applications seeking suspension of sentence had already been filed, emphasizing that such pleas could not proceed without issuing notices in the main appeals, particularly in light of recent amendments to NAB laws. The prosecution urged the court to begin arguments on the main appeals if the defence was prepared.

In response, Barrister Safdar maintained that his clients were convicted on January 17, 2025, and despite the passage of over a year, the prosecution had repeatedly requested adjournments. He asserted that the defence had remained present throughout the proceedings and pressed for suspension of the sentence and release on bail, citing medical grounds as well.

The bench questioned whether the defence could proceed with arguments in the main appeals against the conviction, even proposing to allocate two hearing days per week to expedite the case.

However, Safdar informed the court that he had been unable to meet or obtain instructions from Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi for the past five months, making it difficult to proceed with arguments at this stage. Chief Justice Dogar observed that if the appeals were formally fixed for hearing, the court might not take up the suspension applications separately.

The defence reiterated its position, stating that it could not advance arguments without consulting the clients and requested additional time.

The NAB prosecutor countered that while bail applications are relatively brief, appeals require detailed arguments, questioning the defence’s reluctance to proceed if the case was straightforward.

After hearing both sides, the bench granted time to the defence to consult their clients and adjourned the hearing until April 6.

Background of the £190 Million Case

The case, commonly referred to as the Al-Qadir Trust case, stems from allegations that Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi obtained billions of rupees and hundreds of kanals of land from Bahria Town Ltd in exchange for legalizing Rs50 billion returned to Pakistan by the United Kingdom during the PTI government.

On January 17, 2025, an accountability court sentenced Imran Khan to 14 years in prison and Bushra Bibi to seven years. Both challenged their convictions before the IHC shortly afterward.

Imran Khan, who has been incarcerated since August 5, 2023, is currently serving his sentence at Adiala Jail. He was also convicted in another Toshakhana case in December 2025 and faces additional trials under anti-terrorism laws related to the May 9, 2023 unrest.
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