Alleges that the repeated adjournments caused harm to the applicant and defeated the purpose of the interim measures.
Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi. Photo: File
Bushra Bibi, wife of incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, on Saturday filed a supplementary petition in the Islamabad High Court seeking an early decision on her pending plea for suspension of sentence and bail in the ₹190 million case.
Bushra Bibi was transferred to Adiala Prison on Friday after a crucial eye operation in Rawalpindi, as concerns over her health continue to reverberate in political circles. According to prison officials, ophthalmologists diagnosed a retinal detachment, a condition that requires immediate intervention. She was transferred to a private hospital on Thursday evening, where she underwent pre-operative examinations and later consented to surgery. The procedure was carried out by Prof Dr Nadeem Qureshi with a medical committee, after which she was released after a night and returned to custody.
Concerns about her condition had already increased after a document dated March 28 surfaced online, stating that a doctor at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences had examined her and noted “blurred vision and a black spot in the right eye for the past 11 days.”
Today’s petition, filed through lawyer Salman Safdar, also seeks directions from the court for its lawyers and family members to gain access to Bushra Bibi, citing medical problems following her eye surgery.
It indicates that the petitioner, a 54-year-old woman belonging to a vulnerable section of society, has been incarcerated for more than a year following her conviction in the Al-Qadir Trust case. He adds that she has already appealed her 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 and returns to Adiala after a night in hospital: prison authorities
The plea notes that notices relating to the stay application were issued by the court on May 15, 2025, but the matter has since faced “undue, continuing and unexplained delay.” He further alleges repeated adjournments and what he describes as obstructive conduct by the National Accountability Bureau, which he says caused prejudice to the petitioner and defeated the purpose of the interim measures.
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 before the proceedings, arguing that it is legally necessary to notify both the lawyer and the family in such circumstances.
The plea states that failure to provide this information could pose risks to his life and well-being. He adds that the family was subsequently informed and met with her in prison, where she was seen wearing dark glasses during the meeting.
He adds that, according to the family, his state of health appears serious, although no details have been provided so far by doctors or prison authorities.
Read also: Bushra Bibi requests urgent help from IHC
The petition also states that Bushra Bibi is serving a seven-year sentence, which it describes as relatively less severe, and alleges that prison authorities failed to allow access to her despite a court order.
Citing his deteriorating health, continued denial of access and principles governing matters relating to liberty, the plea asks the court to hear and decide on the stay of the stay application 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 organization they set up in 2018. The trust, which runs a university outside 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 repatriated British funds to pay fines against the businessman, instead of depositing the money in Pakistan’s treasury.
Imran has denied any wrongdoing, insisting that neither he nor his wife benefited financially from the trust or related transactions. In his written response to the IHC, he claimed that the case was politically motivated, alleging that a corruption reference against Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz led to a false case against Bushra Bibi.
He challenged the prosecution’s evidence, highlighted inconsistencies in witness statements and accused the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) of destroying key documents linked to political leaders.
Imran argued that amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999 protect cabinet decisions from prosecution unless there is proof of personal gain. The IHC acknowledged the “merit” of this allegation and ordered the trial court to consider it before deciding the case.
He then filed a civil application with the IHC seeking a hearing of his appeals against the audit court’s verdict, which convicted him and his wife in the £190 million corruption case.
