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The Islamabad High Court gave Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi two weeks to begin final arguments in their Al-Qadir case appeal. The court also threw out their contempt pleas after the disputed jail documents were signed.
Islamabad,UPDATED: Jun 29, 2026 22:12 IST
The Islamabad High Court on Monday gave former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi two weeks to begin final arguments in their appeal against conviction in the 190 million pounds Al-Qadir case.
The court also dismissed contempt of court petitions filed by the former first couple after noting that the powers of attorney and other documents at the centre of the dispute had already been signed.
Khan and Bibi were convicted by an accountability court in Islamabad on January 17 last year in a case filed by the Accountability Bureau, Pakistan's anti-corruption body. Khan was sentenced to 14 years in prison, while Bibi was sentenced to seven years.
A two-member bench of Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif first took up the contempt petitions. The petitions had alleged that jail authorities were not allowing counsel to obtain signatures on a power of attorney and other documents from Khan and Bibi, who are lodged in the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. The court said the petitions had become infructuous as the documents had now been signed.
The bench then turned to the main appeals and directed the defence to begin arguments. After hearing submissions from Khan's counsel, the court agreed to give the defence two weeks to start final arguments on the appeal against the conviction. Khan's sister Aleema Khan and several party leaders were present during the hearing.
The Al-Qadir case centres on allegations by the Accountability Bureau that Khan's government in 2019 facilitated a deal with property tycoon Malik Riaz to use 190 million pounds to settle a penalty imposed on him by the Supreme Court. The money had been seized by the UK's Crime Agency and transferred to the Pakistan government. The businessman allegedly donated more than 57 acres of land for the construction of the Al-Qadir University Trust, chaired by Khan and Bushra Bibi.
Khan, 73, has been in jail since August 2023 in several cases, including corruption, leaking state secrets and an unlawful marriage. He has denied the allegations. Monday's hearing ended with the high court dismissing the contempt petitions and giving the defence two weeks to begin final arguments in the Al-Qadir appeal.
With PTI Inputs
- Ends
Published By:
India Today Web Desk
Published On:
Jun 29, 2026 22:12 IST
