• Court notes two-member bench set to take up central appeals in £190 million graft case on 7th
• Daughter seeks access to Bushra; Aleema calls on PTI workers to ‘reach Adiala’ today

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Monday rejected the petitions of former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi, seeking the suspension of their sentences in a £190 million corruption case, observing that their main appeals were already fixed for hearing.

A two-member bench headed by Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar will take up the central appeals on May 7. In view of this, the court declared the applications for suspension of sentence infructuous.

During the hearing on April 30, Justice Dogar had emphasised that the best course of action would be the early disposal of the main appeal.

Mr Khan, imprisoned since Aug 5, 2023, for concealing details of Toshakhana gifts, is serving a 14-year sentence at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail in the £190m case, also known as the Al-Qadir Trust case.

An accountability court in Islamabad had sentenced Mr Khan and Bushra Bibi to 14 and seven years’ in prison, respectively, on Jan 17, 2025, in the case. Subsequently, both had challenged their convictions before the IHC.

The case alleges that the couple obtained billions of rupees and land worth hundreds of kanals from Bahria Town Ltd to legalise Rs50 billion identified and returned to the country by the UK during the PTI government.

Bushra’s daughter seeks access

Separately, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir also heard a petition filed by Bushra Bibi’s daughter seeking access to a personal physician and permission for a family meeting.

During the hearing, counsel Salman Akram Raja informed the court that an application had already been submitted to the authorities of Adiala jail both through courier and in person. He further stated that Bushra Bibi underwent surgery on the night between April 16 and 17.

The court directed the jail superintendent to decide the application within two days and pass a reasoned order. The superintendent was also summoned in personal capacity on May 6.

Justice Tahir observed that the court was forwarding the request to jail authorities for an appropriate decision, noting that such matters were also being discussed publicly.

In a related matter, the IHC sought a response from jail authorities in a contempt matter regarding the failure to arrange a meeting between Mr Khan and his lawyer. The court was informed that jail officials had not yet signed the counsel’s power of attorney.

The order pertains to a March 2025 judgement, which restored the incarcerated former premier’s visitation rights to twice a week.

Separately, the court also issued notice to PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan in a petition seeking closure of Imran Khan’s account on X.

The petition alleged inflammatory posts were made from the PTI founder’s official X account. Further hearing was adjourned till next week.

Reach Adiala on Tuesday: Aleema

Meanwhile, Mr Khan’s sister Aleema Khanum posted on X that the family had “appealed to all party office holders, senior leadership, MNAs, MPAs, and senators to come to the Adiala jail this Tuesday to build pressure on the government” for access to the former PM. The IHC has allowed Imran twice-a-week meetings — on Tuesdays and Thursdays — with his family, lawyers and other associates. Despite court orders, PTI founder’s meetings with the family and the party leaders have been largely restricted.

While Mr Khan’s sisters continue to show up regularly at the jail in a failed bid to meet him, PTI leaders skipped the visits for two consecutive weeks in April before eventually going to Adiala on April 30.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2026