ISLAMABAD: The incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi was released from Adiala Jail on Thursday in Toshakhana-II case after a special court issued her release order.
Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand issued the release order, following an application from Bibi’s counsel, who sought her release after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) granted her bail in the case.
Following receiving release orders, Bushra Bibi was released by the jail authorities after languishing in jail for 265 days.
Bushra Bibi was arrested after a court on January 31 convicted and sentenced her and Khan for 14 years in prison in Toshakhana case. After the announcement of the judgment, Khan’s wife herself went to Adaila Jail and offered her arrest.
After Bushra Bibi’s arrest, Chief Commissioner Islamabad declared Khan’s Banigala house as sub-jail and shifted Bushra there.
Later, the IHC suspended her sentence in the Toshakhana case but the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) again arrested her in Toshakhana-II case on July 13.
Similarly, on February 3, a local court convicted Khan and wife to seven years in jail each in Iddat case.
But on July 13, the district and sessions court acquitted and his wife in the Iddat case against them and ordered their immediate release if they are not wanted in any other case.
The IHC had granted her bail in Toshakhana-II case on October 23 and ordered her released but she was not released from jail due to non-issuance of release order.
The Toshakhana case involves allegations of misappropriation of gifts received during Imran Khan’s tenure as prime minister.
During the proceedings, Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb questioned the basis for implicating Imran Khan if Bushra Bibi did not submit the gifts in question.
After her release, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan spoke to the media outside Adiala Jail, commending Bushra Bibifor her resilience during her nine months in jail and expressing optimism that Khan would also be released soon.
He dismissed rumours suggesting a deal for her release, asserting that had such an arrangement existed, she would have not faced such a lengthy incarceration.
Gohar stated that her imprisonment was primarily a tactic to pressure Khan.
To a question about forward block in PTI, he said the PTI remained cohesive under Khan’s leadership and refuted claims of a forward block within the party.
The PTI chairman said that “neither we earlier accepted the 26th constitutional amendment nor will accept it now.”
Bushra Bibi, has reached Peshawar after her release from Adiala Jail Rawalpindi.
According to sources, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police and protocol received Bushra Bibi at Attock bridge. Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur welcomeBushra Bibi. Sources said that Bushra Bibi will stay at Chief Minister House in Peshawar. Bushra Bibi’s medical examination will be done in Shaukat Khanum Peshawar.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024