Conviction in £190m graft case: IHC defers hearing of appeal of IK, Bushra

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) deferred the hearing of the main appeals of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder chairman Imran Khan and his spouse Bushara Bibi against their conviction in the £190 million graft case.

A two-member bench of Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif on Thursday heard the case and, on the request of their lawyer, Barrister Salman Safdar, adjourned the hearing until May 20.

Safdar filed a miscellaneous petition in the IHC seeking the adjournment and also sought permission to meet his client to obtain instructions and have the Power of Attorney signed.

In an application filed before the IHC, Barrister Salman Safdar, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, and Sarmad Muneeb said their engagement was limited to arguing applications for suspension of sentence, adding that no formal Power of Attorney or instructions had been obtained for the main appeals.

The lawyers also informed that despite repeated efforts, the authorities at Adiala jail had not facilitated meetings with the clients for the purpose of obtaining instructions or executing fresh powers of attorney.

“The undersigned expresses inability to proceed further in the absence of proper instructions, formal engagement, and requisite Power(s) of Attorney,” the application stated.

The counsel prayed to the court to issue strict directions to the jail authorities to allow meetings with the clients and to adjourn the main appeals fixed for hearing on May 7.

During the hearing, NAB Special Prosecutors Javed Arshad and Rafiq Maqsood questioned the filing of the appeal and raised concerns over repeated discussions linked to the case in the media. In response, another PTI counsel, Shoaib Shaheen, said that the matter should be argued in court rather than in public discourse.

NAB opposed the adjournment request; however, the court granted a final deadline for concluding arguments.

CJ Dogar said that the lawyers for PTI founder Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were being given a final opportunity to present arguments.

PTI lawyer Fatahullah Burki said the court’s orders were not being implemented and that meetings with the PTI founder and Bushra Bibi had not taken place as scheduled since the verdict.

The IHC Chief Justice, after hearing the arguments, rose from the bench and went to chambers with the other judge, expressing hope that the case would progress at the next hearing on May 20.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026