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

Summary

• 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.
• 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.
• Bushra later filed her plea before the FCC, citing her medical condition and seeking suspension of the sentence while her criminal appeal remained pending.

AI Generated Summary

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.