Bushra Bibi walks free on bail after months-long imprisonment in new Toshakhana case
by By Shabbir DarBushra Bibi, wife of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan was freed from Rawalpindi's Adiala jail on Thursday after remaining behind bars for around nine months owing to her legal woes relating to various cases.
The former first lady's release comes a day after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) granted her bail against surety bonds worth Rs1 million in the new Toshakhana case.
The former prime minister's spouse was arrested after a court on January 31 convicted and sentenced the couple to 14 years in prison after finding them guilty of retaining and selling state gifts in violation of government rules (Toshakhana case) while Khan was in power.
Her release was expedited compared to the usual legal process, as typically, when a robkar (release order) is issued, the imprisoned person is released within two hours. However, Bushra Bibi was released in just 20 minutes.
While media personnel and PTI workers waited outside the prison to engage with Khan's wife, the former first lady quickly departed without speaking to anyone. However, the workers showered her car with flowers as it sped away.
The IHC granted her bail on Wednesday, but due to the absence of a judge to sign the release order, she remained behind bars. Today, Judge Shahrukh Arjumand signed her robkar.
The former first lady was arrested in the said case along with her husband, who remains behind bars in the same facility, soon after their acquittal in the iddat case — also known as the un-Islamic nikah case.
However, her legal woes have seemingly witnessed a respite as she exited the Adiala jail via its gate number 5.
They said the case is not to be mixed with the first Toshakhana case wherein the couple was sentenced to 14 years in prison and was handed down a fine of Rs1.57 billion — Rs787 million each — in January.
The ex-first lady was then placed under house arrest at her Bani Gala residence. However, she was later transferred to the Adiala jail in May at the IHC's orders which came in response to her petition that challenged the Islamabad Commissioner's decision that declared Bani Gala a sub-jail.
It is to be noted that the couple’s sentence in that case was suspended by the IHC in April but both remained behind bars due to being embroiled in various cases.
Jewellery set case
The reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) reference involves a case related to a jewellery set gifted to Bushra Bibi by the Saudi crown prince when her husband Imran Khan was the prime minister of the country from 2018 to 2022.
The jewellery set — comprising a ring, bracelet, necklace a pair of earrings — was gifted to the former first lady on her visit to Saudi Arabia in May 2021, as per the NAB's reference.
It said the PTI founder and his wife illegally kept the jewellery set.
It added that the deputy military secretary briefed the Toshakhana section officer to estimate and declare the price of the jewellery set. The jewellery set, it mentioned, was not deposited in Toshakhana.
The jewellery company sold the necklace for €300,000 and earrings for €80,000 on May 25, 2018. The information regarding the price of the bracelet and ring could not be obtained from the company.
On May 28, 2021, the price of the jewellery set was estimated at Rs70.56 million; the price of the necklace was Rs50.64 million and the price of the earrings included in the jewellery valued at Rs10.50 million back then.
According to the rules, the 50% price of the jewellery set is approximately Rs30.57 million.
The national exchequer suffered a loss of approximately Rs30.28 after the jewellery was undervalued.
As per the reference, the PTI founder and his wife violated the NAB Ordinance. It added that an inquiry was initiated against the former first couple on the instructions of NAB chairman on August 1, 2022.
"PTI founder and Bushra Bibi have misused their powers. PTI founder retained 58 out of 108 gifts during his prime ministership," read the reference.
This is a developing story and is being updated with more details.