Pakistani court denies Bushra Bibi suspension of 7-year sentence — Dawn
Pakistan’s Federal Constitutional Court in Islamabad rejected former first lady Bushra Bibi’s petition to suspend her seven-year sentence in the Al-Qadir Trust case. The Accountability Court handed down the sentence to her on January 17, 2025. Dawn reports.
The case was heard by a two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan, which also included Justice Ali Baqar Najafi. Before announcing the decision, the bench reserved it and ordered Bushra Bibi’s lawyer, Salman Safdar, to submit written arguments. The court is expected to issue a detailed order rejecting the petition later.
Defense arguments
In her appeal, Bushra Bibi cited her health condition and the fact that she is a woman, arguing for the right to suspension of the sentence under provisions of Pakistan’s Code of Criminal Procedure. Her lawyer said that her eyesight was deteriorating rapidly, which, according to him, threatened her remaining vision.
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The defense also claimed that the National Accountability Bureau repeatedly sought adjournments for 13 months and opposed the suspension of the sentence. The chief justice asked the lawyer not to proceed to the merits of the case, as at this stage the court was considering only the issue of suspending the punishment.
Claims regarding detention conditions
In the appeal, the defense stated that the administration of Adiala Prison had allegedly failed to comply with an Islamabad High Court order concerning a meeting between Bushra Bibi and her lawyer. The petition also claimed that Bushra Bibi and her husband, imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan, were being unlawfully held in solitary confinement and had their contact with family, lawyers, and other visitors restricted.
The defense said that after eye surgery on April 17, 2026, Bushra Bibi was returned to prison without specialized medical supervision. The appeal also disputed the prosecution’s claim that she and Imran Khan had received 240 kanals of land through Farhat Shahzadi for personal benefit. The defense insisted that the evidence did not confirm that Bushra Bibi received any personal benefit from the transaction.
