Bushra Bibi moves IHC for sentence suspension on medical grounds after eye surgery

ISLAMABAD: Bushra Bibi, spouse of former prime minister Imran Khan, on Saturday approached the Islamabad High Court seeking suspension of her sentence in the £190 million corruption case on medical grounds.

Bushra Bibi is currently serving a seven-year sentence in the case, which involves allegations of granting undue favours to property tycoon Malik Riaz in the repatriation of laundered funds from the United Kingdom. Her appeal against the conviction remains pending before the high court. She was also sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment in December 2025 in the Toshakhana 2 case related to a jewelry set gifted during a 2021 visit to Saudi Arabia.

In her application, filed through counsel Salman Safdar and Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry, she urged the court to urgently hear her plea for suspension of sentence. The petition stated that she recently underwent eye surgery at Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital under circumstances that were not disclosed to her legal team or family beforehand.

According to the plea, her daughters were informed only after meeting her on April 17, where they found her in a distressed condition with bandaged eyes and impaired vision. The application alleged that jail authorities failed to provide medical records, including diagnosis details, surgical notes, and post-operative care information.

The petition raised concerns over transparency and legality, claiming the procedure was conducted without proper consent or consultation. It further alleged denial of access to her legal counsel and family members, despite court orders, suggesting a pattern of concealment regarding her health condition.

It argued that her health had deteriorated due to inadequate care during incarceration and that she now required continuous medical supervision. The plea contended that her continued detention following surgery amounted to inhumane and degrading treatment.

Citing legal precedent, the application maintained that serious medical hardship justified suspension of sentence or bail, particularly as her appeal has remained pending for over a year. It requested the court to summon jail and hospital authorities along with complete medical records and to order her immediate transfer to a specialised facility.

The development comes a day after she was shifted back to Adiala Jail following eye surgery in Rawalpindi. Jail authorities stated that she had complained of impaired vision in her right eye and was diagnosed with retinal detachment, necessitating surgery.

Separately, it had earlier emerged that Imran Khan has also been undergoing treatment for an eye ailment in recent months.