Wikimedia Commons: Uzairbutt
Imran Khan’s Wife, Bushra Bibi, Released from Prison After Nine Months
The wife of Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi, has been released from Adiala Jail after spending nearly nine months in prison.
She was granted bail by the Islamabad High Court on Wednesday and freed on Thursday, according to Naeem Haider Panjutha, a lawyer for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
Both Bushra Bibi and Imran Khan were sentenced to 14 years in prison in January 2023, after being found guilty of illegally retaining and selling state gifts received during Khan’s tenure as prime minister from 2018 to 2022. The couple was accused of selling gifts worth over 140 million rupees ($505,000) in violation of government regulations.
Controversy Over Toshakhana Case
The charges stem from the Toshakhana, a state treasury where officials are required to deposit gifts received from foreign dignitaries. Khan and Bibi have consistently denied the accusations, calling them politically motivated. The former prime minister, who was ousted in a no-confidence vote in 2022, claims that the charges were part of a campaign by the current government, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, to discredit him.
Political Tensions Continue in Pakistan
Imran Khan remains embroiled in legal battles, facing more than 150 cases, including charges of inciting violence. He was imprisoned in August 2023 on corruption charges, intensifying political turmoil in Pakistan. Despite these challenges, Khan’s popularity endures, with his party, PTI, winning the most seats in the February 2023 general elections.
The ongoing political crisis, exacerbated by Khan’s standoff with the country’s powerful military, has left Pakistan in a state of deep instability, with tensions showing no signs of easing.
