The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday granted time to the lawyers to take instructions from the founder of PTI and Bushra Bibi on whether the central appeal against the sentence in the 190 million pounds case should be heard first or the plea for the suspension of sentences should be decided.
Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar remarked that if the appeal is scheduled, the suspension of the sentence will not be heard. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif heard various petitions in the 190 million pounds case.
NAB Special Prosecutor Javed Ashraf said that he has filed 2 various petitions raising objections to the suspension of sentence applications and regarding their admissibility. If there is no notice in the central appeal, the suspension of sentence applications cannot be heard. After the change in the NAB law, the suspension of sentence cannot be heard on appeals without notice.
He said that the suspension of sentence applications are not scheduled for hearing. If they want to give arguments on these appeals, start from today.
Barrister Salman Safdar said that in January 2025, the founder of PTI and Bushra Bibi were convicted, it has been 14 months since the sentence. We are not on the main appeal yet, we want the sentence suspended and released on bail.
We have not met the founder and Bushra Bibi for five months. Do not even take instructions from them to present arguments on the appeals.
The Chief Justice said that if you give them two days a week, can you present arguments on the appeal? You take instructions, we will give a date. Barrister Salman Safdar said that appeals are not being filed in Tosha Khana-I case, previous appeals are pending and they should be heard first. In NAB cases, women are given bail within 15 days. You should hear our requests for suspension of sentence.
Barrister Salman Safdar said that I cannot say anything without meeting the founder of PTI and Bushra Bibi. If the court assures me of meeting my clients, I will leave. The court adjourned the hearing till April 6, giving time to take instructions.
Separately, the SC on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of a defamation case filed against Imran, deferring proceedings until a decision is announced in a related review petition.
Moreover, the Islamabad District and Sessions Court Tuesday sine die adjourned a newly submitted challan against Imran after confirming that he had already been acquitted in the same case linked to the Azadi March.