He alleges that the repeated postponements have caused prejudice to the petitioner and frustrated the purpose of the provisional measure.
Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi. Photo: Archive
Bushra Bibi, wife of jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, on Saturday filed a further application before the Islamabad High Court seeking an early decision on her pending plea for suspension of sentence and release on bail in the £190 million case.
Bushra Bibi was shifted back to Adiala Jail on Friday after crucial eye surgery in Rawalpindi, as concerns over her health continue to reverberate in political circles. According to jail officials, ophthalmologists diagnosed retinal detachment, a condition that requires immediate intervention. On Thursday afternoon she was transferred to a private hospital, where she underwent pre-operative tests and subsequently gave consent for surgery. The procedure was carried out by Professor Dr Nadeem Qureshi along with a medical panel, following which she was discharged after spending the night and returned to custody.
Concerns about her condition had already increased after a document dated March 28 appeared online, stating that a doctor from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences had examined her and noted a “history of blurred vision and a black spot in her right eye for the past 11 days.”
Today’s application, filed through lawyer Salman Safdar, also seeks court directions to allow her lawyers and family access to Bushra Bibi, citing medical concerns following her eye surgery.
It states that the petitioner, a 54-year-old woman and member of a vulnerable section of society, has been imprisoned for more than a year following her conviction in the Al-Qadir Trust case. He adds that he has already filed an appeal against his conviction and sentence, as well as a request for suspension of sentence under article 426 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Read: Bushra Bibi undergoes eye surgery, returns to Adiala after spending night in hospital: prison authorities
The statement notes that the court issued notices on the stay application on May 15, 2025, but since then the matter has faced “inordinate, continuous and unexplained delays.” He further alleges repeated postponements and what he describes as obstructive conduct on the part of the National Accountability Office, which he claims has caused harm to the petitioner and defeated the purpose of the interim measure.
According to the application, Bushra Bibi recently underwent eye surgery at Al Shifa Eye Hospital in Rawalpindi. He claims that no family member was informed prior to the procedure, arguing that it is legally necessary to notify both the lawyer and the family members in such circumstances.
The plea states that failure to provide such information could pose risks to his life and well-being. She adds that the family was later informed and met with her in jail, where she was observed wearing dark glasses during the meeting.
He also states that, according to the family, his health condition appears to be serious, although so far neither doctors nor prison authorities have provided details.
Read also: Bushra Bibi requests urgent help from IHC
The petition also notes that Bushra Bibi is serving a seven-year sentence, which it describes as comparatively less severe, and alleges that prison authorities did not allow her access to it despite a court order.
Citing his deteriorating medical condition, continued denial of access and the principles governing issues related to liberty, the plea asks the court to hear and decide the suspension of the application of the sentence based on priority and merits in the interest of justice and fair play.
Background
Imran and Bushra Bibi face a £190 million corruption case linked to the Al-Qadir Trust, a social welfare organization they set up in 2018. The trust, which runs a university on the outskirts of Islamabad focused on spirituality and Islamic teachings, is accused of being used as a front to receive land worth millions of dollars from a property tycoon.
The government claims the donations were in exchange for Imran’s administration using funds repatriated from the United Kingdom to pay fines against the businessman, rather than depositing the money in Pakistan’s treasury.
Imran has denied any wrongdoing, insisting that neither he nor his wife derived any financial benefit from the trust or related transactions. In his written reply to the IHC, he claimed that the case is politically motivated, alleging that a reference to corruption against Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz led to a fabricated case against Bushra Bibi.
He questioned the prosecution’s evidence, highlighted inconsistencies in witness statements and accused the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) of destroying key records relating to political leaders.
Imran has argued that amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999 protect cabinet decisions from prosecution unless there is evidence of personal benefit. The IHC has recognized the “substance” of this claim and ordered the trial court to consider it when deciding the matter.
He subsequently lodged a miscellaneous civil application with the IHC seeking a hearing of his appeals against the accountability court’s verdict, which convicted him and his wife in the £190m corruption case.
