Counsel for former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi has sought adjournment of a scheduled hearing in the £190 million corruption case. The request comes a day before proceedings were due in the Islamabad High Court. The defence cited lack of formal authority to argue the main appeals.
Lawyers informed the court that their mandate was limited to suspension of sentence applications. They said they had not been formally instructed to argue the main appeals. The legal team also stated that no power of attorney had been completed for the proceedings. As a result, they expressed inability to proceed with the scheduled hearing.
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The counsel further claimed that authorities at Adiala Jail did not facilitate meetings with the accused. They said this prevented them from obtaining instructions and completing legal formalities. Therefore, they requested the court to issue directions for access to their clients. They also urged that the hearing be postponed.
Earlier, a bench of the Islamabad High Court had rejected suspension pleas in the same case. The court had directed that arguments be heard on the main appeals instead. The hearing was consequently scheduled for May 7. The latest request now raises the possibility of further delay.
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The case involves allegations of misuse of funds and assets linked to the Al-Qadir Trust. Both accused were previously convicted and sentenced by an accountability court. The appeals remain pending before the high court for final adjudication.