ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi’s defence counsel, Salman Safdar, on Thursday requested the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to summon the Punjab Inspector General of Prisons, Mian Farooq Nazir, and authorities from Shifa International Hospital, along with their complete medical records, during an appeal hearing against their convictions in the £190 million case.
At the start of the hearing, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutors Javed Ashraf and Rafi Maqsood appeared before the court, alongside defence counsel Salman Safdar.
Delay in Proceedings
Safdar informed the court that he was grateful for the permission granted on April 8 to meet his client but noted that proceedings had been delayed on April 9 due to peace talks. He also stated that despite requests, he was not allowed to meet Bushra Bibi, adding, “My last meeting with Bushra Bibi was in December 2025.”
Concerns Over Health and Detention
Raising concerns about health and detention conditions, Safdar told the court, “Imran Khan’s eyesight has been reduced to 15%, with 85% of his vision lost.” He added that the damage to his eye appeared to be permanent.
Safdar questioned the conditions in which his clients were being held, stating, “One issue is the eye problem, and the second is why they are being kept in solitary confinement.” He mentioned that Imran had informed him that he could not see properly from one eye and that doctors had reportedly told him the condition was irreversible.
Summons Requested
The lawyer pointed out that Imran had been transferred to the hospital multiple times and that such treatment was not possible at Adiala Jail. “It has now escalated to the point where we are calling for the IG Prisons, superintendent, and deputy superintendent to be summoned,” Safdar said. He also requested the court to order the hospital to provide complete medical records.
Solitary Confinement as Torture
Safdar argued that he had reviewed the judgment 17 times and found no mention of solitary confinement. He further stated, “Keeping someone in solitary confinement for a prolonged period is torture.” He added that Bushra Bibi was also affected in the case, noting, “She was arrested at the time of the judgment.”
Court’s Response
The IHC Chief Justice, Sarfraz Dogar, asked Safdar why he was not focusing on the main appeal. He explained that the court would dispose of the main appeal as soon as possible. The CJ added that appeals were being heard regularly and could be decided quickly if arguments were scheduled. However, Safdar insisted that the suspension applications should be decided first.
The court also discussed procedural matters, including the availability of power of attorney documents. The CJ remarked on the hearing schedule flexibility, stating that the court could hear appeals within days if arguments were scheduled. Safdar reiterated his request for the court to call the Punjab Prisons IG and the hospital authorities, along with the complete medical record.
Imran’s Eye Treatment
In February, it was revealed by a report prepared by Safdar on the Supreme Court’s direction that Imran had informed officials that his right eye was functioning at only 15% capacity. Safdar submitted the report to a two-member bench. As a result, the SC ordered that Imran be granted access to his personal physicians in Adiala Jail and that he be allowed telephone contact with his sons, Kasim and Sulaiman.
Since then, Imran has undergone four doses of an intravitreal injection as part of his eye treatment at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
Current Detention Status
Imran and Bushra Bibi remain incarcerated in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. They were sentenced on December 20, 2025, to 17 years in prison in the Toshakhana-II case, which pertains to allegations that the couple unlawfully retained a Bulgari jewellery set gifted by the Saudi crown prince during an official visit to Saudi Arabia.
Imran has been in custody since August 2023, serving a sentence in a £190 million corruption case. He also faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act in connection with protests on May 9, 2023.
Background of the £190 Million Case
In January last year, an Islamabad accountability court sentenced Imran to 14 years and Bushra Bibi to seven years in prison in the reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The IHC is currently hearing appeals seeking suspension of these sentences.
The £190 million case pertains to allegations linked to the Al-Qadir Trust, a welfare organisation established in 2018. The trust, which runs a university outside Islamabad, is accused of being used as a front to receive land worth millions of dollars from a real estate tycoon.
According to the government, the donations were made in exchange for the former premier’s administration using repatriated funds from the United Kingdom to pay fines on behalf of the businessman instead of depositing the amount into the national exchequer. Imran has denied the allegations, maintaining that neither he nor his wife derived any financial benefit from the trust or related transactions.
FIA Challan in Prohibited Funding Case
In a separate development, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) submitted a challan in court against the PTI founder and others in the prohibited funding case. Officials said the challan was filed with Registrar Abdul Wahab of the Special Court (Commercial Banking Circle), Islamabad. The registrar’s office will forward the challan to the court after completing the scrutiny process, following which the case will be fixed for regular hearing.
The PTI founder and other accused have been nominated in the case and face allegations of foreign funding and financial irregularities.
Analysis: Health and Detention Conditions Take Centre Stage
The IHC hearing in the £190 million case focused not on the merits of the appeal but on Imran Khan’s health and detention conditions. Safdar’s request to summon the IG Prisons and hospital authorities — and his argument that prolonged solitary confinement constitutes torture — shifts the focus from the corruption allegations to the conditions of imprisonment.
The court’s reluctance to prioritise the suspension applications over the main appeal suggests that the IHC wants to expedite the substantive case. But Safdar’s insistence on first addressing the suspension applications — and his request for judicial intervention on medical grounds — creates a procedural tension.
The claim that Imran’s eyesight has been reduced to 15% — with 85% vision lost — is alarming. The SC’s order granting access to personal physicians and telephone contact with his sons was meant to address these concerns. But Safdar argues that the conditions remain unchanged.
As the legal battles continue, Imran’s health and detention conditions are becoming as central to the case as the original allegations. The IHC’s decision on Safdar’s requests will determine whether the focus shifts back to the appeal or remains on the conditions of confinement.
