The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday granted a final two-week adjournment to the counsel of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi to commence arguments in their appeals against conviction in the £190 million corruption case. The court also dismissed the contempt of court petitions filed by the couple, observing that the powers of attorney required to pursue the appeals had been signed.
Court Proceedings and Bench Composition
A division bench of the IHC, comprising Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfaraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif, conducted the hearing. Barrister Salman Safdar, Salman Akram Raja, and other defence team members appeared before the court. Imran Khan's sister, Aleema Khan, and several PTI leaders were also present.
At the outset, the bench expressed displeasure when multiple defence lawyers approached the rostrum together. Justice Dogar directed them to return to their seats, remarking that the court would not be influenced and noting that signed powers of attorney had already been received.
Arguments Over Powers of Attorney
Barrister Safdar contended that while jail authorities had now provided powers of attorney relating to the IHC proceedings, remaining documents were yet to be furnished. The chief justice responded that those documents would also be provided. Islamabad Advocate General Naveed Malik argued that during the previous hearing, the defence had misled the court by stating that the powers of attorney were signed on June 16, while failing to disclose that the jail superintendent had contacted counsel on June 18 to facilitate execution. The bench observed that since the powers of attorney had now been signed, the contempt petitions had become infructuous.
Main Appeals Hearing
The court then turned to the main appeals and directed the defence to begin arguments. Justice Dogar warned that if the appellants failed to proceed, the court would ask the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor to advance arguments. Barrister Safdar informed the bench that an appeal challenging an earlier IHC order had been filed before the Supreme Court and sought additional time, arguing that commencing arguments before the high court would render the pending appeal ineffective.
When the court indicated that the NAB prosecutor should begin submissions, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Advocate Latif Khosa requested a two-week adjournment, assuring the bench that arguments would commence on the next hearing date. Justice Dogar questioned whether the senior lawyers possessed valid powers of attorney in the appeals and remarked that repeated adjournment requests amounted to unnecessary pressure on the court. Khosa requested two weeks to personally meet the PTI founder before the hearing.
Final Adjournment Granted
Accepting the request, the bench recorded Khosa's undertaking that the defence would begin arguments after the adjournment and fixed the appeals for hearing two weeks later. This marks the final opportunity for the defence to present its case, as the court has warned of proceeding with NAB's arguments if further delays occur.
