PTI lawyers approach FCC for early hearing of Bushra Bibi’s plea in Al-Qadir Trust case

ISLAMABAD: Senior lawyers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday approached the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) seeking early fixation of former first lady Bushra Bibi’s plea for suspension of her sentence in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case.

PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, Barrister Salman Safdar and Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry reached the FCC and met the additional registrar, requesting that Bushra’s case be fixed for early hearing.

FCC office assured the legal team that the case would be numbered within the week and subsequently fixed for hearing, Advocate Intezar Hussain Panjutha told Dawn.

He said that no fresh written application was filed on Tuesday, but the lawyers made a verbal request for early registration and fixation.

The development came a day after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) indefinitely adjourned appeals filed by PTI founder Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi against their convictions in the £190 million case.

During Monday’s hearing, Barrister Salman Safdar told the IHC that an application seeking suspension of Bushra’s sentence had already been filed before the FCC and that an early hearing request was submitted on September 17.

He argued that proceedings in the IHC could render the FCC petition ineffective if the latter was taken up first

The IHC bench, comprising Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif, adjourned the appeals indefinitely after Safdar also raised concerns about his inability to meet Bushra to obtain instructions.

He said he had not been able to meet her since December 2025.

Bushra, who is serving a seven-year sentence at Adiala jail in Rawalpindi, had filed the FCC application on September 17 seeking an early hearing of her plea for suspension of sentence.

Her lawyers cited concerns over her eyesight and health, saying continued delays posed a risk to her remaining eyesight.

According to the application, Bushra developed a serious eye condition during the prolonged proceedings and underwent surgery on one eye in April.

Her lawyers have argued that the delay in deciding her suspension plea has caused prejudice and that her case warrants priority consideration.

Bushra and Imran were convicted in January 2025 in the Al-Qadir Trust case.

Imran was sentenced to 14 years in prison and Bushra to seven years after an accountability court found them guilty in the case involving allegations concerning the handling of £190 million recovered by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency.