IHC to hear Imran, Bushra’s pleas seeking suspension of sentences in £190m graft case on March 31

According to the cause list issued by the IHC registrar’s office, a division bench — comprising IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif — will hear the pleas seeking suspension of Imran and his spouse’s sentences on March 31.

An accountability court in Islamabad had sentenced Imran and Bushra to 14 and seven years in prison, respectively, on Jan 17, 2025, in the £190m graft case, also known as the Al-Qadir Trust case.

At the last hearing of the case, held on March 11, the IHC imposed a fine of Rs100,000 on the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for employing “delaying tactics” in the case.

However, a later written order did not include any direction regarding the imposition of a fine. The court had directed the anti-graft body to come prepared on the next date of hearing, with the defence team pushing for a swift resolution.

The defence team had urged the court to dispose of the petition early, requesting a decision before the Eid vacations.

The appeals and suspension pleas have faced numerous procedural hurdles.

The IHC registrar’s office had previously raised objections to the petitions, citing issues such as unsigned pages and the absence of a certificate confirming the case wasn’t being heard elsewhere.

On February 26, the high court had cleared these objections and scheduled the March 11 hearing after defence lawyers pressed for an early date, highlighting Imran’s eye condition.