FCC rejects Bushra Bibi’s plea to suspend 7-year sentence

The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) has rejected a petition filed by Bushra Bibi, wife of former prime minister Imran Khan, seeking suspension of her seven-year prison sentence in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case.

A two-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan and comprising Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, heard the matter on Wednesday before dismissing the plea. The court is expected to issue a detailed written order explaining its decision later.

Bushra Bibi had approached the FCC in July, arguing that her sentence should be suspended because she is a woman and suffers from a serious medical condition. Her legal team also raised concerns about her worsening eyesight, warning that the condition could threaten her remaining vision.

During the hearing, senior counsel Salman Safdar, representing Bushra, argued that courts had traditionally adopted a lenient approach towards women in such matters. He also criticised the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), alleging that it had repeatedly sought adjournments over the past 13 months and opposed the request for suspension of the sentence.

Safdar maintained that the conviction provided a legal basis for granting relief. However, the chief justice directed him to focus on the question of sentence suspension rather than discussing the merits of the underlying case. The bench subsequently reserved its decision and asked the counsel to submit written arguments.

Bushra’s appeal also raised concerns about her treatment in Adiala Jail, alleging that prison authorities had failed to comply with Islamabad High Court directions concerning access to her lawyer. The petition claimed that her counsel had been allowed to meet Imran Khan but had not been provided the same access to Bushra.

According to the appeal, Imran told his lawyer that both he and his wife were being kept in solitary confinement and were denied regular contact with family members, friends, legal representatives and members of their political party. The petition also alleged that they had been deprived of books and television access.

The appeal further stated that Bushra’s daughters had raised concerns about her condition after meeting her following eye surgery on April 17, 2026. It alleged that she was returned to prison without adequate medical supervision, nursing assistance or dedicated care despite her impaired vision.

Her legal team argued that the alleged conditions violated constitutional protections relating to life and human dignity. The petition described the treatment as unlawful and urged the court to intervene in view of her medical condition.

The appeal also challenged the evidence underlying Bushra’s conviction. It alleged that the prosecution had failed to establish that she personally benefited from the transaction involving the recovery of funds from the United Kingdom and the transfer of land linked to property tycoon Malik Riaz.

According to the defence, the relevant amount had been deposited into an account maintained at the National Bank of Pakistan in the name of the Supreme Court registrar. The petition argued that the prosecution had not produced credible evidence linking Bushra to personal financial gain.

Her counsel also alleged that NAB had pursued the case selectively by prosecuting Bushra and Imran while excluding other individuals allegedly connected to the transaction. The appeal argued that this approach had weakened the prosecution’s case and contributed to an unjust conviction.

Bushra and Imran were sentenced in January 2025 after being found guilty of granting undue favours to Malik Riaz in connection with the recovery of funds transferred from the United Kingdom. Both challenged their convictions and sought suspension of their sentences before the Islamabad High Court, which dismissed their requests in May 2026.

They subsequently approached the Supreme Court, but their petition was returned on maintainability grounds. They were directed towards the FCC as the appropriate forum under the relevant provisions of the National Accountability Ordinance.

Bushra later filed her plea before the FCC, citing her medical condition and seeking suspension of the sentence while her criminal appeal remained pending. Her legal team also requested an early hearing, warning that her deteriorating eyesight required urgent attention.