190 million pound case: Imran and Bushra Bibi challenge decision, request suspension of sentence
PTI founders Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi have approached the Supreme Court challenging the Islamabad High Court’s decision and seeking suspension of sentence.
The Islamabad High Court had dismissed the appeals of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi for suspension of sentence.
The petitions filed by Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi state that rejecting the request for suspension of sentence was against the requirements of justice, even though the application was considered admissible, the points of the case were ignored, he developed vision problems during his imprisonment, and was transferred out of jail for treatment.
The petition states that it is unfair not to release the PTI founder and his wife despite serious health problems, both of them faced extraordinary mental anguish due to solitary confinement, the request for suspension of sentence was deliberately delayed, bail had been granted during the trial, and the allegations were declared baseless.
The petition filed in the Supreme Court states that it is legally possible to look at the points of the case while deciding on the suspension of sentence, it was wrong to reject the application without conducting a preliminary review of the evidence, NAB repeatedly delayed the appeal and caused delay in justice.
The petition filed by the PTI has taken the position that the method of arrest of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi was illegal and irresponsible, the high court had ordered their release on illegal arrest, action was taken on political grounds in the name of accountability, the amendment to the NAB laws gave the power to hear the final appeal to the Constitutional Court.
The petition states that there is no mention of going to the Constitutional Court in the appeal, the appeal for suspension of sentence is hearable only in the Supreme Court, the High Court order should be declared null and void and the sentence should be suspended, and the release should be ordered.