National ( The cow news digital ) The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday heard appeals filed by Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi against their convictions in the £190 million case.
The hearing was conducted by a two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Sardar Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif. During the proceedings, Imran Khan’s counsel Salman Safdar appeared before the court, while representatives from National Accountability Bureau, including Javed Ashraf and Rafi Maqsood, were also present.
Outside the courtroom, several members of parliament from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, party workers, and Aleema Khan gathered to observe the proceedings.
During the hearing, Salman Safdar informed the court that Imran Khan’s eyesight had significantly deteriorated, claiming that vision in one of his eyes was nearly lost. He further stated that the PTI founder was being kept in solitary confinement for 22 hours daily. The lawyer also told the court that Bushra Bibi was allegedly being held in solitary confinement for 24 hours a day.
According to the defense, Bushra Bibi had undergone surgery on her right eye, but despite medical advice, she was not admitted to a hospital for proper post-operative care. The lawyer argued that adequate treatment was not available at Adiala Jail and requested the court to summon prison officials, the Inspector General of Prisons, and hospital records.
The defense maintained that solitary confinement was unlawful and violated fundamental rights, adding that such punishment was not included in the original court verdict.
Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar remarked that once an appeal is fixed for hearing, applications for suspension of sentence become ineffective. He said the court was prepared to hear the appeals on priority and directed the defense to provide a schedule for arguments to ensure speedy disposal of the case.
The court also heard a request from the defense for an immediate ruling on sentence suspension, but clarified that the main appeals would take precedence.
The hearing was later adjourned until a future date, with the case expected to continue in the coming sessions.
