‘Will not come to this court anymore’: Jailed ex-PM Imran Khan’s wife breaks down

Bushra Bibi, the wife of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, made an emotional statement on Monday, saying there is “no justice,” during her appearance in court over multiple bail pleas.

The former first lady, visibly distressed, made the remarks at a hearing held at District and Sessions Court in Islamabad, where she was recently released after securing bail in a case tied to the alleged illegal sale of state gifts.

The development marked the most significant legal relief for Imran Khan and his family since his imprisonment in August last year. Bushra, who was arrested in January, was released from Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where her husband remains detained.

During the hearing today, she broke down in tears, accusing the judicial system of apathy, stating she had “not come to seek justice, as none existed.”

“Over the past nine months, my husband and I have faced relentless injustice,” Bushra Bibi told the court, struggling with her emotions. She went on to say she was prepared to return to prison if required, adding, “If I am meant to be incarcerated, I am prepared.” Her belongings, she noted, were packed and ready in her car.

"I will not come to this court anymore; there is only injustice here."

The hearing

The session, overseen by Islamabad District Magistrate Muhammad Afzal Majoka, involved multiple bail requests filed by Bushra Bibi and Imran, stemming from cases filed across several police stations in 2023, including Kohsar, Ramna, Tarnol, Karachi Company, and Secretariat. Senior attorneys representing the couple requested an adjournment until their lead counsel could attend.

Expressing frustration with the pace of the proceedings, Bushra Bibi accused the court of inefficiency, stating her legal team and others were merely “wasting time”. Referring to her husband’s incarceration, she questioned, “The person inside [the prison], is he not human? Can’t any judge see this?”

The defense highlighted ongoing delays in the judicial process, criticizing the nearly year-long prosecution investigation for lacking conclusive results. Lawyer Salman Safdar argued that the allegations of fraud against Bushra Bibi and Imran Khan were “unsupported by solid evidence.”

After the hearing, Judge Majoka reserved the verdict on the bail petitions for Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, stating that the decision would be announced shortly.

After the hearing, Safdar told the media that most cases against Imran Khan lack merit.

“Now, only the cases without any substance remain. A hearing is scheduled next week in the Toshakhana case, which will also be resolved soon,” he added.

Dozens of cases

Bushra Bibi and Imran Khan face dozens of 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.

Both 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.

Bushra Bibi is Imran Khan's third wife. The two married six months before he became prime minister for the first time in 2018.

Imran Khan has often called her his spiritual leader and she is known for her devotion to Sufism, a mystical form of Islam. She has mostly remained away from the public eye, appearing in only one television interview - that too wearing her traditional veil.