Bushra Bibi moves FCC for early hearing of sentence suspension appeal in Al-Qadir case | The Express Tribune

Bushra Bibi, the wife of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, on Thursday approached the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) seeking an early hearing of her appeal against her conviction in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case, citing a recurring eye condition and inadequate medical facilities in jail.

Imran and Bushra Bibi remain incarcerated in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. They were sentenced on December 20, 2025, to 17 years in prison in the Toshakhana-II case, while in January last year, an Islamabad accountability court sentenced Imran to 14 years and Bushra to seven years in prison in the £190 million case.  

In her application, Bushra said her “serious and progressive” eye condition required an “urgent” hearing, warning that further delay could put her remaining eyesight and overall health at risk.

The petition stated that the 54-year-old was currently confined at Adiala jail and was serving a seven-year rigorous imprisonment sentence handed down on January 17, 2025.

The application said Bushra was diagnosed with Posterior Vitreous Detachment (PVD) in her right eye on March 28 and subsequently developed a “black curtain” and acute deterioration. She was declared an “ocular emergency” and underwent surgery at Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital on April 16.

A medical examination conducted in jail on July 24 found new opacity and PVD “in progress” in her previously unaffected left eye. She subsequently underwent further examinations at Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital on July 29 and August 5.

“In view of the serious and progressive nature of the applicant’s ocular condition, the matter is of an urgent nature and warrants expeditious fixation and hearing at the earliest,” the application said.

Bushra’s appeal was filed before the FCC on July 31, but had not been fixed for hearing by the time of the application.

“Despite the lapse of one month & sixteen days from the date of filing until the present date, the Applicant’s Appeal has neither been fixed nor taken up for hearing even once before this Honourable Court,” the petition said.

The application also highlighted the delay before the Islamabad High Court (IHC), where Bushra’s application for suspension of sentence had remained pending for more than 15 months and had been fixed for hearing 16 times before being dismissed on April 30.

Read More: £190m case: IHC orders Imran, Bushra meeting with their lawyers within seven days

It said Bushra had already suffered “grave and irreversible prejudice” during the proceedings, including developing a serious ocular ailment and undergoing surgery in one eye.

The petition referred to a medical report submitted by the superintendent of Adiala Jail before the Supreme Court on August 15, which contained details of Bushra’s treatment and subsequent examinations.

“Continued delay in fixation directly imperils the Applicant’s health and eyesight, as is demonstrably evident from the deterioration already suffered on account of the delay before the learned IHC,” it said.

The petition said that, when the proceedings before the IHC and the FCC were considered together, Bushra’s application and subsequent appeal had remained undecided for about 19 months.

It also argued that Bushra’s role in the case was confined to aiding and abetting and did not involve “any primary or substantive act constituting the gravamen of the offence”.

“The instant application is confined to the limited question of delay in adjudication of the applicant’s request for suspension of sentence, and does not require this Honourable court to undertake any detailed examination of the merits of the main appeal,” the application said.

Read More: IHC directs Adiala jail authorities to keep Imran, Bushra Bibi out of solitary confinement

“It can, therefore, be disposed of through a short, focused hearing, without placing any undue burden on the court’s time,” the petition added.

The application further said the delay was not attributable to Bushra or anyone acting on her behalf, adding that she remained in custody while awaiting fixation of the appeal.

Bushra asked the FCC to fix the matter for hearing in the week commencing September 21, saying the prolonged and unexplained delay had already caused “grave prejudice” to her.

She was convicted under Section 9(a)(xii) of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, on a charge of aiding, assisting and abetting, according to the application.

Background

Imran and Bushra Bibi are facing a £190 million graft case linked to the Al-Qadir Trust, a welfare organisation they established 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 real estate tycoon.

The government claims the donations were in exchange for Imran’s administration using repatriated UK funds to pay fines against the businessman, instead of depositing the money into Pakistan’s treasury.

Imran has denied any wrongdoing, insisting neither he nor his wife gained financially from the trust or related transactions. In his written response to the IHC, he claimed the case is politically motivated, alleging a corruption reference against Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz led to a fabricated 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 records related to political leaders.

Imran has argued that amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), 1999 protect cabinet decisions from prosecution unless there is proof of personal gain. The IHC has acknowledged the “substance” of this claim and directed the trial court to consider it while deciding the matter.

He subsequently filed a civil miscellaneous application in the IHC seeking a hearing of his appeals against the accountability court verdict, which convicted him and his wife in the £190 million corruption case.