Bushra Bibi petitions the IHC for a sentence suspension in a corruption case following eye surgery.

Following eye surgery, Bushra Bibi, the spouse of PTI founder Imran Khan, submitted a new appeal in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for an early ruling on a plea seeking suspension of the sentence imposed on her in a 190 million pound corruption case.

The petition asked for Bushra Bibi’s family and solicitors to have access to her and for an early decision on the plea for a sentence suspension due to a medical emergency.

In the appeal submitted on Saturday by her attorneys Salman Safdar and Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry, Bushra Bibi asked the court to make a decision on her plea for the sentence to be suspended as soon as possible.

According to the petition, Bushra Bibi, who is presently detained at Adiala jail, had eye surgery at Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital under undisclosed conditions.

It said that neither her family nor her legal team were informed of the development before the procedure.

The appeal claims that her daughters were only made aware of the procedure after they were permitted to see mom on April 17 and discovered her in a distressed state with bandaged eyes and blurred vision. The plea claimed that medical records, such as diagnoses, operation notes, and information about post-operative care, were not provided by the jail administration.

It further said that jail officials disregarded a clear court order requiring the facilitation of a meeting between Bushra Bibi and her attorney, depriving her of the chance to pursue prompt legal action.

According to the application, Bushra Bibi’s health declined as a result of receiving insufficient care while she was incarcerated, and her current state necessitated ongoing medical monitoring and support. It claimed that her prolonged incarceration amounted to cruel and dehumanising treatment, especially following a medical procedure.

The petition argued that extreme medical hardship and inadequate care were legitimate grounds for release or sentence suspension, citing judicial precedence. Additionally, it highlighted that the applicant was entitled to humanitarian relief, particularly since her appeal had been waiting for more than a year.

The appeal asked the court to order her urgent transfer to a specialised medical facility for appropriate treatment, as well as to call jail administration and hospital officials along with the full medical documents.