Pakistan court to hear Imran Khan's Al-Qadir Trust appeal as new case filed

Pakistan's Islamabad High Court will hear appeals on Thursday by former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi against their convictions in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust corruption case. A banking court is also set to hear a separate prohibited foreign funding case against Khan after prosecutors submitted a fresh charge sheet.

What is the Al-Qadir Trust case against Imran Khan?

The Al-Qadir Trust case centers on allegations that Khan and Bushra Bibi received land from a property developers firm in exchange for facilitating the return of 50 billion rupees to Pakistan by Britain's National Crime Agency. The funds were repatriated during Khan's 2018 to 2022 premiership. Khan and PTI maintain the land was donated for charitable purposes and that the prosecution is politically motivated.

What sentences are Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi appealing?

An accountability court convicted both in January 2025. Khan was sentenced to 14 years in prison and Bushra Bibi received a seven-year term. Both deny wrongdoing and have challenged the verdict. Their appeals, along with applications to suspend their sentences, are listed before a division bench led by Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif.

Why has the IHC appeal process been delayed?

The appeals process has moved slowly, with multiple adjournments over recent weeks. A March 31 hearing was postponed after defense lawyers sought more time to obtain fresh instructions from Khan and Bushra Bibi. A further delay in early April allowed Khan to meet his legal team at Adiala Jail before arguments could proceed. One hearing was also disrupted by security lockdowns across Islamabad linked to expected US-Iran talks.

The court had earlier indicated it could decide the matter within about a week once substantive arguments begin. Khan has been held at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail since August 2023. He says the series of legal cases he faces are designed to block his political comeback, a charge the government and military deny.

What is the new foreign funding case against Imran Khan?

A banking court in Islamabad is due to hear a prohibited foreign funding case involving Khan and 10 others on Thursday, after investigators filed a charge sheet. The case alleges that PTI received around $2.1 million in illegal funding through overseas transactions and accounts allegedly operated under the name "Naya Pakistan." The transfers are said to have been routed through a company called Vote on Cricket Ltd. PTI has consistently rejected accusations of unlawful foreign funding, describing investigations into party finances as selective and politically driven.