Pakistan's ex-PM Imran Khan's wife released from prison

The wife of jailed former Pakistan premier Imran Khan has been released from Adiala jail a day after a Pakistani court granted her bail in a case pertaining to the illegal sale of state gifts.

The release is the biggest legal relief for Khan and his family since he was imprisoned in August last year. Bushra, who was arrested in January, was released from Adiala Jail in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, where the former prime minister still remains.

Both Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, have been in jail on multiple charges.

An order for Bushra Bibi's release came earlier today.

A day earlier, Islamabad High Court said that Bushra was granted post-arrest bail for "reasons to be recorded later," according to an order shared by the media office of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

A post on X by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) welcoming party founder Imran Khan's wife Bushra Bibi's release from Adiala jail, on October 24, 2024.@PTIofficial / X

The PTI's legal team was expecting Bushra to be released the same day the bail was granted. However, the team voiced frustration over administrative hurdles, saying that court officials were unavailable to process the necessary paperwork.

Local television channels showed a small number of supporters throwing rose petals on two white SUVs escorting her from the jail.

Bibi faces at least one other graft case linked to receiving land from a real estate developer, according to Reuters.

"Welcome back Bushra Bibi! You have faced extremely difficult times, disgusting campaign and character assassination attempts against your during your illegal time in jail," Khan's party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, said in a post on X.

A convoy of vehicles carrying Bushra Bibi, the wife of former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan, moves after her release from Adiala jail in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, October 24, 2024.Reuters

Khan himself faces dozens of other cases, including charges of violating anti-terrorism laws, brought since he was removed as premier in 2022 and launched a protest movement against a coalition of his rivals led by current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi deny all the charges, saying they are trumped up by the government to discredit the 72-year-old former cricket star, who remains widely popular and whose candidates won the most seats in February's general election.

'Judicial officers were missing'

In a video posted on X yesterday, PTI legal team member Khadija Siddiqi said key judicial officers were missing. “Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand was unavailable, Duty Judge Humayun Dilawar was on leave, and Special Courts Administrative Judge Raja Jawad Abbas had already left for the day,” she added.

She further said that an attempt to have another judge handle the release warrant failed, as the judge was not “authorized” to act as a duty judge.

Imran meets lawyers

The IHC, meanwhile, directed that Imran Khan be brought before the court and allowed a virtual meeting with his legal team.

Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan heard a contempt petition filed by Advocate Faisal Chaudhry against Adiala Jail authorities for preventing meetings with Khan, despite previous court orders.

Later, the lawyers of the former premier met him at the Adiala prison. Chaudhry said that Imran Khan was informed about the release of Bushra Bibi.

He stated that the PTI founder did not regret the appointment of Chief Justice Yahya Afridi but expressed remorse over the constitutional amendment.

Chaudhry also noted that Imran Khan voiced concern over the disappearance of PTI members, including Intizar Panjutha.

The IHC also directed the Executive Director of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in the federal capital to form a medical board for the medical check-up of the PTI founder.

Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb of the IHC issued the orders, instructing that the Imran Khan's personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan, be included in the medical board.

In the order, the court stated that security measures at Adiala Jail cannot obstruct a qualified doctor's check-up for a prisoner in B-Class.

Bushra reaches Peshawar after release

Special assistant to the chief minister on information Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif confirmed that Bushra has arrived in Peshawar after her release.

He added that she will be staying in the provincial capital for a while.

The IHC bench, a day earlier, presided over by Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, approved Bushra Bibi’s bail against surety bonds of PKR 1 million.

Bushra Bibi approached the IHC on October 3 to seek bail in connection with the Toshakhana case, which pertains to the alleged misappropriation of a jewelry set from the government’s gift repository.
During the court proceedings, Justice Aurangzeb raised a key question, asking why Imran Khan was implicated if it was Bushra Bibi who failed to deposit the gifts.

FIA prosecutor Umair Majeed explained that since Imran Khan was a public officeholder, he was legally responsible for ensuring compliance with the Toshakhana rules.