Lawyer seeks Imran's release on humanitarian grounds as IHC hears appeals in £190m graft reference

ISLAMABAD: Counsel for former prime minister Imran Khan on Thursday urged the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to consider his client’s release on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, citing prolonged solitary confinement and an eye infection.

Defence counsel Salman Safdar’s request came as the IHC took up appeals filed by Imran and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, against their conviction in the £190 million corruption reference.

During the hearing, Safdar requested the court to suspend the sentence, arguing that the case had remained pending for over 16 months and had already faced 17 hearings in the appeal.

Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar questioned whether the petitioner was willing to settle the matter conclusively through a final decision on the appeal, observing that suspension of sentence could be decided without a final relief, but the appeal itself should be concluded expeditiously.

Safdar maintained that despite the passage of over a year, the defence had not received any relief. He highlighted that both Imran and Bushra Bibi were facing issues related to solitary confinement.

He further contended that the IHC could verify prison conditions through the inspector general for prisons and consider relief on humanitarian grounds.

However, Justice Dogar emphasised that the best course would be an early disposal of the main appeal, assuring the defence that the court was mindful of the urgency and would decide the matter promptly.

During the proceedings, the bench was informed about problems in signing a formal power of attorney and accessing medical reports. Addressing senior lawyer Latif Khosa, Justice Dogar questioned how representation was being made without proper documentation.

Safdar responded that he was arguing under powers of attorney and that Khosa had earlier represented Imran in the case. He reiterated his request for suspension of sentence as an interim relief.

On the other hand, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Senior Prosecutor Rafay Maqsood argued that once the appeals were fixed for hearing, a separate plea for suspension of sentence could not be entertained.

In a lighter moment, the chief justice remarked that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister often complained about not receiving a response to his greetings.

“Walaikum Assalam,” he added, asking the counsel to convey this to CM Sohail Afridi.

The hearing was subsequently adjourned.

Imran — imprisoned since Aug 5, 2023, for concealing details of Toshakhana gifts — is serving a 14-year sentence at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail in the £190m case, also known as the Al-Qadir Trust case.

An accountability court in Islamabad had sentenced Imran and Bushra to 14 and seven years in prison, respectively, on Jan 17, 2025, in the case. Subsequently, both had challenged their convictions before the IHC.

The case alleges that the couple obtained billions of rupees and land worth hundreds of kanals from Bahria Town Ltd to legalise Rs50 billion identified and returned to the country by the United Kingdom during the PTI government.