Pakistani former Premier Khan's wife gets bail in corruption case

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) – A Pakistani court on Wednesday granted bail to incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan's wife Bushra Bibi, in a case involving the purchase and illegal sale of state gifts.

Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) heard her plea, granted the former first lady's post-arrest bail application, and ordered her release from jail.

"Islamabad High Court accepted Bushra Imran’s bail plea and ordered her release as she is already on bail in other cases," Barrister Salman Safdar, Bibi's lawyer, told reporters outside the courtroom.

She has been facing the "Toshakhana two case," which involved the illegal purchase and sale of state gifts.

The former first lady was arrested in late January after an Islamabad accountability court sentenced Imran Khan and his wife to 14 years in prison in a case involving the purchase and illegal sale of state gifts received by the couple from foreign countries during Khan's nearly four-year tenure as prime minister.

In addition, the two were sentenced to seven years in prison for violating the Islamic code during their marriage in 2018.

In April, the IHC suspended their sentences in the foreign gifts case but they remain in custody in several other cases.

In July, a local court also suspended sentences and acquitted Khan and his wife of violating Islamic marriage law.

Bibi's lawyer said the government is expected to release her today because she has no other cases pending against her and has been bailed or acquitted in all of them.

Khan, 72, however, is currently jailed in Rawalpindi and seeking bail on multiple cases ranging from corruption to terrorism, all of which he denies. Courts have already set aside two of his convictions and suspended a third.

The former cricket star was ousted from power through a no-confidence vote in April 2022.