Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were unable to secure relief before Eidul Azha as the Islamabad High Court (IHC) allowed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to appoint a special prosecutor for their bail plea in the £190 million corruption case. The IHC division bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif, took up the PTI leader and his wife’s applications seeking the suspension of their sentences.
During the hearing, Imran and Bushra’s counsel, Barrister Salman Safdar, emphasized that after much effort, they had successfully managed to have their petitions heard. He criticized the cases, including the Toshakhana cases and the £190 million case, calling them politically motivated and aimed at keeping the couple in jail. He referred to the verdict in the £190 million case as controversial, citing observations made by the Supreme Court regarding the judge involved.
Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were sentenced on January 17, 2025, by Islamabad Accountability Court-I Judge Nasir Javed Rana, who gave Imran 14 years in prison and Bushra 7 years, along with fines. The couple later filed appeals against the verdict in the IHC.
NAB Prosecutor Rafiq Maqsood informed the court that he had only been notified of the case the night before the hearing and requested more time to appoint a special prosecutor. However, Safdar urged the court to decide on Bushra Bibi’s plea before Eid, arguing that while the prosecution could bring in a special prosecutor, the PTI had no fear.
Latif Khosa, also representing PTI, defended Imran Khan, stating that there was no evidence against him and asserting that he had no intention to flee or tamper with the evidence. Despite the protest from PTI’s legal team, the court decided to adjourn the case until June 11, 2025.
