The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday imposed a fine of Rs100,000 on the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), accusing the watchdog of using “delaying tactics” in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust corruption case involving former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi.
The hearing was conducted by a division bench headed by Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar along with Muhammad Asif. The court was reviewing petitions filed by the couple seeking the suspension of their sentences and appeals against their convictions.
Before the hearing, NAB filed a legal response raising a jurisdictional objection. The bureau argued that the couple’s request under Section 426 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) was premature because their appeals had not yet been formally admitted for regular hearing by the court. NAB maintained that under the law, the court could only consider suspending a sentence once an appeal had been formally accepted for hearing.
During the proceedings, defence lawyers strongly criticised delays in the case. Senior lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan told the court that he had faced significant difficulty obtaining power of attorney from his client, claiming that access to Imran Khan had been restricted for nearly four months at Adiala Jail. He argued that such restrictions violated the fundamental right of an accused person to consult legal counsel.
Defence counsel Salman Safdar also criticised the lengthy delay in scheduling hearings, noting that the appeals against the convictions were being heard after about 14 months.
Meanwhile, NAB prosecutor Muhammad Rafay insisted that the request for suspension of sentence could not be considered until the court first decided on the admissibility of the appeals.
The situation intensified when the bench questioned the absence of NAB’s special prosecutor. The court was told he was occupied with “religious rituals,” an explanation that displeased the judges.
Expressing frustration over the perceived delay, the bench imposed a Rs100,000 fine on NAB and directed the anti-graft body to appear prepared at the next hearing.
The defence team requested the court to decide the matter before the upcoming Eid al‑Fitr holidays. The court later issued notice on NAB’s application and adjourned the hearing.
The case relates to the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust corruption case, in which an accountability court in Islamabad sentenced Imran Khan to 14 years and Bushra Bibi to seven years in prison on January 17, 2025. Their appeals and petitions for suspension of sentence have since faced several procedural hurdles before the high court.
