Wife of Pakistan’s Ex-PM Imran Khan Released from Jail After 9 Months

Bushra Bibi, the wife of Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has been released from jail nine months after her arrest, according to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. The release comes after Bibi’s graft sentence was suspended and the illegal marriage case against her collapsed on appeal.

Bibi was arrested on January 31, just a week before the country’s general elections, on charges of graft and illegal marriage. The charges sparked widespread outrage among PTI supporters and the wider society, with many claiming they were trumped up to sideline Khan from the election.

PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan welcomed Bibi’s release, stating, "She was kept in jail to put pressure on Imran Khan." He expressed his gratitude to God and congratulated PTI supporters on her release. Following her release, Bibi headed home to the upscale Bani Gala neighborhood on the outskirts of Islamabad, where she would reunite with her family.

A faith healer who rarely appears in public, Bibi married Khan in 2018 after becoming his spiritual guide. Her arrest was seen as part of a larger campaign to discredit Khan, who served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022. Khan was ousted from power in a parliamentary no-confidence vote after falling out with the military establishment.

The military plays a significant role in Pakistan’s politics, with many analysts believing it holds immense power to determine the course of the country’s democratic politics. Despite Khan’s efforts to lead an opposition campaign, he became embroiled in numerous court cases that he claims were orchestrated to prevent his return to power.

In the February elections, candidates loyal to PTI secured more seats than any other party, but a coalition of parties seen as more amenable to the military’s influence shut PTI out of government. The elections were marred by allegations of vote tampering.

Bibi’s release has been met with joy from PTI supporters, who had been waiting anxiously for her freedom. As PTI supporter Aqsa Qasim noted, "The cases brought against her were not only false and unjust, but also petty and morally questionable." Qasim added, "It’s been a long time since we received any good news, but today we are here to welcome the wife of our leader, who was unjustly imprisoned."