The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday fixed March 11 for the hearing of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi’s appeals seeking suspension of their sentences in the £190 million reference, after miscellaneous petitions were filed requesting the urgent listing of their main appeals. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sardar Sarfaraz Dogar and Justice Azam Khan heard the petitions, with Barrister Salman Safdar appearing for the PTI founder.
The PTI founder and his wife had approached the IHC after they were handed 14-year and seven-year sentences, respectively, by Accountability Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana in January 2025.
During the hearing, a large number of lawyers approached the rostrum, prompting Chief Justice Dogar to ask whether they were attempting to influence the court proceedings. The court instructed PTI lawyers to take their designated seats during proceedings.
Barrister Safdar told the court that the PTI founder was facing an eye problem and had been taken to the hospital for treatment. He said that despite repeated requests, the bail suspension pleas had been pending for a year and the Registrar’s office had not scheduled their early hearing.
He added that requests for bail suspension had been pending for a year, with five miscellaneous applications filed seeking urgent hearing. He urged the court to fix a date for their consideration, ideally during Ramadan, within a week.
The court subsequently directed that the bail suspension pleas of Imran and Bibi in the £190 million reference be scheduled for hearing on March 11 and approved their plea for expedited consideration.
Speaking to journalists outside the IHC, Barrister Safdar said that Thursday’s hearing involved the PTI founder’s case but that they had not received the necessary power of attorney documents. He raised concerns over the jail superintendent’s “negligence and irresponsibility”.