IHC gives PTI founder, Bushra lawyers final chance to argue £190m case appeals

• Court warns no further adjournments will be granted if defence fails to advance arguments at next hearing

• Says appeals will be decided on available record after hearing NAB in case of another delay

• Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar-led bench accepts adjournment on Latif Khosa’s undertaking alone

 ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday granted a final opportunity to lawyers representing PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to present arguments in their appeals against convictions in £190 million case, making it clear that “no further adjournments would be allowed.”

In a written order issued by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif, the court ruled that if counsel for the appellants failed to advance arguments at the next hearing, the appeals would be decided on the basis of the available record after hearing the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The bench accepted a request for adjournment after senior lawyer Latif Khosa, whose power of attorney on behalf of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi is already on record, gave an undertaking that he would argue the appeals at the next hearing.

According to the order, Khosa assured the court that he would not seek any further adjournment and would present his arguments when the case is taken up again.

The court observed that the matter was being adjourned solely on the basis of that undertaking, stressing that it was the final opportunity being granted to the appellants to argue their appeals.

“The court makes it clear that if arguments are not advanced at the next hearing, no further adjournment will be granted, and the appeals will be decided after hearing NAB on the basis of the available record,” the order stated.

The written order underscores the court's intention to proceed with the appeals without further delay if the appellants' counsel fails to honour the undertaking given before the bench at the next hearing.