Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of appeals filed by former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, against their convictions in the GBP 190 million Al Qadir Trust corruption case for 10 days.
A division bench headed by Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar directed authorities to arrange meetings between Khan and his lawyers, giving the defense additional time to prepare its arguments.
The court ordered Islamabad Advocate General Naveed Hayat Malik to arrange a meeting of at least one hour between Khan and his counsel, Sardar Latif Khan Khosa. Barrister Salman Safdar was also permitted to meet with Khan and Bushra Bibi.
The bench further directed that the relevant case documents be prepared and provided to the defense before the next hearing.
IHC orders Khan's lawyer meeting within two days
Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif issued the directions on Tuesday after Khan's lawyers raised concerns about restricted access to their clients and difficulties preparing arguments.
The court also permitted Barrister Salman Safdar to meet Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, and instructed the Agyala jail authorities to provide the relevant case documents before the next hearing.
Lawyers raise concerns over access to clients
During the proceedings, Chief Justice Dogar recalled that the court previously instructed the defense to begin its arguments and that an undertaking was obtained on June 29 that no further adjournment would be requested.
Barrister Safdar informed the court that Khosa had given the undertaking and should explain his position.
Khosa subsequently told the bench that he had been unable to meet with Khan to prepare for the hearing.
Responding to the concern, the Chief Justice asked the Advocate General whether a meeting could be arranged within the next two days. The advocate general agreed.
Safdar also complained of prolonged restrictions on access to his clients, claiming he had been unable to meet with Khan for seven months and with Bushra Bibi for 11 months before a recent consultation.
He said the case involved approximately 3500 pages of documents and testimony from 35 witnesses, making adequate preparation difficult without access to the full record.
The court ordered that the necessary documents be submitted before proceedings resume.
Bushra Bibi’s medical treatment raised in court
Safdar also raised concerns about Bushra Bibi's health and requested that she be permitted to receive specialist medical treatment.
He sought two weeks of temporary bail to enable her to obtain medical care.
However, Advocate General Malik maintained that she had received appropriate treatment while in custody.
Chief Justice Dogar observed that the matter concerning her medical treatment was pending before the Federal Constitutional Court and could be pursued through the appropriate legal forum.
The bench did not grant temporary bail during Tuesday’s proceedings.
Appeals challenge January 2025 convictions
The appeals stem from an accountability court’s January 17, 2025 judgment in the Al Qadir Trust case, which sentenced Khan to 14 years and Bushra Bibi to seven years in prison.
The National Accountability Bureau alleged that the couple received land and other benefits from a property developer in connection with the handling of approximately Rs 50 billion returned to Pakistan by the United Kingdom.
Both have challenged their convictions before the IHC.
Speaking outside the court, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan called for the implementation of judicial orders that facilitate meetings between Khan and his legal representatives.
The appeals remain pending, and the high court did not rule on the convictions’ merits.
Proceedings will resume after the 10 day adjournment, with the defense expected to begin its substantive arguments.
