The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered that the suspension petitions of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi in the 190 million pound case be fixed for March 11.

The PTI founder’s legal team had requested suspension of his sentence on medical grounds.

A division bench of the IHC, comprising Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Azam Khan, heard multiple petitions for an early hearing of the suspension petitions. Barrister Salman Safdar appeared on behalf of the PTI founder and Bushra Bibi.

Court remarks and lawyers’ arguments

During the hearing, Chief Justice Dogar expressed concern over the large number of pro-PTI lawyers present at the rostrum, asking, “What is this method? Are you trying to influence the court?”

Barrister Safdar explained that Imran Khan has an eye problem requiring hospital treatment. He clarified that the applications seek suspension of sentence, not hearing of the appeal. The lawyer also highlighted that the applications have been pending for over a year and that repeated requests to the Registrar’s Office for scheduling were ignored.

Safdar further emphasized the urgency of Bushra Bibi’s case, stating that her application for suspension has also been pending for a year. He requested the court to schedule her case for early hearing.