Pakistan High Court Takes Up Imran Khan Appeal In £190 Million Case

A Pakistani High Court on Thursday began hearing appeals filed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi against their convictions in the high-profile Al-Qadir Trust case , with proceedings ongoing and no immediate relief granted.

The couple approached the Islamabad High Court after being sentenced in January 2025 by an accountability court to 14 years and seven years in prison respectively in a corruption case investigated by the National Accountability Bureau . They are currently lodged in Adiala Jail, where Khan has been imprisoned since 2023 in multiple cases.

The hearing, earlier fixed for April 22, was postponed due to security restrictions in Islamabad’s Red Zone. A division bench led by Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif is now hearing the matter.

The case, also known as the £190 million case , stems from allegations that around Rs 50 billion, equivalent to £190 million, repatriated to Pakistan by the UK’s National Crime Agency in 2019 was improperly handled. Instead of being deposited into the national exchequer, the funds were allegedly adjusted against liabilities of a real estate tycoon.

Investigators allege that in return, large tracts of land, including hundreds of kanals, were transferred for the benefit of the Al-Qadir Trust, a welfare organisation set up by Khan and his associates to run a university near Islamabad. The Al-Qadir Trust , founded in 2019, was presented as a charitable initiative focused on education and social welfare.

According to the prosecution, the arrangement constituted abuse of authority and caused significant loss to the national treasury. The court that convicted the couple also ordered confiscation of land linked to the case.

Khan, however, has consistently denied wrongdoing, asserting that the trust was established for public benefit and that neither he nor Bushra Bibi received any personal financial gain. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has described the case as politically motivated.

Recent proceedings have also highlighted tensions during the appeals process. The Islamabad High Court had earlier expressed concern over delays and even imposed a fine on the anti-corruption agency’s prosecution for stalling tactics, signalling judicial impatience with prolonged litigation.

The appeals remain at the hearing stage, with related applications, including those seeking suspension of sentences, still pending. The case is expected to continue over multiple hearings as the court examines arguments from both sides.