ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) again deferred hearing of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi’s appeals seeking suspension of their sentence in 190 million pound case.
A two-member bench of IHC comprising Acting Chief Justice Sardar Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif heard the case on Thursday.
The bench adjourned the hearing after National Accountability Bureau (NAB)’s newly-appointed special prosecutor sought time to prepare and study the case.
During the hearing, the petitioners’ lawyers, Barrister Salman Safdar, Niazullah Niazi, Ali Bukhari, Shoaib Shaheen, and others were present, while Special Prosecutor Javed Arshad and Prosecutor Rafay Maqsood represented NAB.
PTI founder’s sisters, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub, Faisal Javed, and other party leaders also attended the hearing. As the hearing began, a large number of lawyers and party leaders gathered at the rostrum.
The acting chief justice expressed his annoyance and addressing Barrister Salman Safdar, asked him to maintain the decorum of the court. He said “the court has a decorum; if it is not maintained then he would not hear the case.”
Salman Safdar assured that order of the court would be maintained, after which, the unnecessary crowd returned to their seats.
NAB’s Special Prosecutor Javed Arshad requested for time to prepare the case, stating he was appointed only yesterday and needed at least four weeks due to the case’s volume.
Barrister Safdar argued that NAB had previously formed a team under Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi and that Prosecutor Rafay Maqsood had also refused to argue on June 5.
He stressed that even women are usually granted sentence suspensions, and requested a chance to present his case in the interest of transparency.
Prosecutor Arshad reiterated that he had no prior involvement in the case and needed time to study it. Barrister Safdar urged the court to list the case again on Monday.
He said, “If you have built a case, then come and play; do not run from the appeal.”
Prosecutor Arshad responded, “We’ll definitely play.” Rafay Maqsood added that despite the 14-year sentence, the case should be treated like any other.
The court accepted the special prosecutor’s request for time and adjourned the hearing, stating that the next date will be mentioned in the court order.
In this matter, founder PTI Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi approached the IHC seeking suspension of their sentences in the 190 million pound case.
They moved the court through their counsel Barrister Salman Safdar and cited the state and chairman NAB as respondents.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.