Imran Khan moves IHC for lawyer access, alleges months-long denial in £190m case

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan on Saturday approached the Islamabad High Court, seeking immediate permission to meet his legal team for consultation in the £190 million case.

The miscellaneous application, filed through Barrister Salman Safdar, requests an “urgent and uninterrupted” meeting between Khan and his counsel to prepare his appeal against conviction. The plea names the chairman of the National Accountability Bureau, the inspector general of Punjab Prisons, and the superintendent of Adiala Jail as respondents.

According to the application, Khan has been unable to hold any meaningful meeting with his lawyers since December 20, 2025—amounting to over three months without proper legal consultation. The petition argues that this denial has severely hindered his ability to prepare his defence in a case where his suspension of sentence application has already been pending since March 2025.

The filing further claims that hearings on the suspension plea have been held on at least 16 occasions, alleging that NAB’s conduct has contributed to delays and that repeated attempts by lawyers to meet their client have been blocked by jail authorities.

Citing the Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978, along with Articles 9, 10-A, and 14 of the Constitution, the application argues that access to legal counsel is a fundamental right. It describes restrictions on meetings with lawyers, family, and friends as a “gross violation” of constitutional protections and due process.

The plea also seeks similar relief for Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, requesting the court to allow both to consult their lawyers for effective preparation of their pending appeals.

A day earlier, Bushra Bibi’s legal team had also approached the IHC, seeking suspension of her sentence, arguing that bail-related matters must be prioritised in line with Supreme Court jurisprudence.

The case stems from the high-profile £190 million corruption reference filed by NAB, in which an accountability court in Islamabad sentenced Khan to 14 years and Bushra Bibi to seven years in January last year.

The charges relate to the Al-Qadir Trust, established by the couple in 2018. Authorities allege the trust was used as a front to receive valuable land from a real estate tycoon in exchange for facilitating the settlement of funds repatriated from the United Kingdom.

The government maintains that the recovered funds were improperly adjusted against liabilities instead of being deposited into the national treasury. However, Khan has consistently denied wrongdoing, asserting that neither he nor his wife personally benefited from the arrangement.

The Islamabad High Court is currently hearing appeals seeking suspension of their sentences, with the latest petition highlighting concerns over access to legal counsel and due process in one of Pakistan’s most closely watched accountability cases.