The Islamabad High Court (IHC) warned the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) special prosecutor against his absence in the hearing of appeals in the £190 million case, giving him a last chance to present before the court.

The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Azam Khan, was hearing the petitions for suspension of sentence filed by PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi.

During the proceedings, lawyers Ali Zafar and Salman Akram Raja informed the court about the difficulties they faced in reaching the courtroom, to which the chief justice extended his apologies.

NAB prosecutor Rafiq Maqsood told the bench that the special prosecutor could not appear owing to severe illness.

Advocate Salman Safdar argued that NAB frequently resorted to delaying tactics, saying: “The case is hardly fixed and dates are rarely given. They enjoy the whole night, while I spend it studying the volumes. At least they should have informed me.”

The bench warned that NAB had been given a last chance and, if the special prosecutor failed to appear again, the Director General of NAB would be summoned. The hearing was adjourned until October 16.