Constitutional Court to Decide Imran Khan’s NAB Fate

Islamabad – (Staff Reporter/Web Desk) – Pakistan has made a major change to its accountability system. Under the new NAB law FCC appeal rule, the final appeal in NAB cases will now go to the Federal Constitutional Court instead of the Supreme Court. This change has put the Imran Khan FCC case in the spotlight, since his legal fight now depends on this new court.

The change comes from a fresh law called the National Accountability Bureau (Amendment) Act, 2026. This law adds a new rule known as NAB Section 32A. It says that anyone convicted in a NAB case can now file a second appeal in the Federal Constitutional Court, not the Supreme Court, within thirty days of the High Court decision.

For years, people who lost their case in a High Court could take their appeal straight to the Supreme Court. That path is now closed for NAB cases. This is a big shift in how corruption cases move through the courts.

This change matters a lot for PTI founder Imran Khan. His most serious case, the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case, falls under NAB rules. If the High Court keeps his conviction standing, his last legal option will be the Federal Constitutional Court, not the Supreme Court like before.

PTI leaders believe this law was written with Imran Khan in mind. They say the timing and the wording point directly to his ongoing cases. Since his political future is closely tied to how these cases end, many see this move as important and sensitive.

The law itself does not change what counts as corruption. It does not add new crimes or remove old ones. It only changes which court gives the final word. But even a small change like this can shift the outcome of a long legal battle.

Legal experts have mixed views on this shift. Some say the Federal Constitutional Court needs more power to handle serious appeals fairly. Others worry that moving cases away from the Supreme Court could weaken its role over time. This debate is still going on, and courts are actively hearing arguments about which forum has the right authority.

In fact, just weeks ago, the Supreme Court Registrar’s office sent back an appeal filed by Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, saying it should go to the Federal Constitutional Court instead. Their lawyer disagreed, saying the Supreme Court still holds the power to hear it. This back-and-forth shows how unsettled the matter still is.

This new setup could also affect other politicians and public figures facing NAB cases. Anyone convicted under this law will now follow the same path to the Federal Constitutional Court. This makes the new forum central to Pakistan’s accountability system going forward.

As the case moves ahead, all eyes remain on how the Federal Constitutional Court will handle high-profile matters like the Imran Khan FCC case. The coming months could set a major example for how future accountability cases are judged in the country.