Early Hearing for Imran Khan's Al-Qadir Trust Case

In Islamabad, the Islamabad High Court has agreed to an early hearing for a plea concerning the suspension of sentences of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, related to the Al-Qadir Trust case. The pair had previously been convicted in January over a 190 million pound corruption case. Khan, a former cricketer turned politician, received a 14-year sentence, while Bibi was sentenced to seven years. Both have since challenged their convictions.

The case came before Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar and Justice Azam Khan. Khan's counsel, Barrister Salman Safdar, expressed frustration over delays attributed to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), noting that the Bureau either fails to appoint prosecutors or requests additional time. He highlighted that, despite not citing medical grounds for relief, Bibi is currently unwell. Remarkably, both Khan and Bibi have been granted bail or acquitted in all other cases to date. Safdar argued for swift resolution of their applications to uphold justice.

Chief Justice Dogar confirmed that the court had already requested the case be scheduled and promised a report would be summoned soon. The bench subsequently ordered that the suspension petitions be expedited for an early hearing.

In another legal matter, Justice Azam Khan addressed petitions from Khan requesting a comprehensive list of cases against him. Barrister Salman pointed out that, over the past two years, 127 cases have been filed against Khan, warranting clarity on their statuses. He advocated for a larger bench, citing political sensitivity precedents. Salman criticized the NAB and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for persisting in issuing notices, calling the actions politically driven and unconstitutional.

NAB’s Special Prosecutor, Rafay Maqsood, rejected the notion of forming a larger bench, arguing that the bureau could provide a complete case record to the court. Justice Azam Khan stated a larger bench decision would be made after reviewing the submitted reports. He instructed the NAB, the FIA, and the police to provide updated reports on all pending cases against Khan, adjourning the matter indefinitely.

Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023 over multiple legal issues and is currently held with his wife in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail.

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