Former Pakistani first lady, Bushra Bibi, recently visited her husband and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman, Imran Khan, in Attock jail for the first time since his arrest on August 5th about the Toshakhana case. Bushra Bibi, accompanied by the former prime minister’s legal team, gained entry to Attock jail to meet Khan. The private meeting between the couple lasted approximately an hour, excluding the presence of the ex-first lady’s legal advisors. Unfortunately, the lawyers Naeem Panjotha, Sher Afzal Marwat, and Ali Ijaz Buttar were denied access to the imprisoned prime minister, who had been ousted through a parliamentary vote in April of the previous year.
Bushra Bibi’s meeting with Khan had been authorized by the Islamabad High Court (IHC), according to Panjotha. Despite possessing court orders, the legal team was unable to secure permission to meet the PTI chairman, leaving them waiting outside the jail. Following their meeting, Khan’s wife departed for Lahore.
Khan’s arrest had stemmed from the Toshakhana case, involving allegations of misusing his premiership from 2018 to 2022 to acquire and trade gifts of significant value received during foreign visits, amounting to over Rs140 million ($635,000). Khan has vehemently denied the accusations against him.
In a significant development, Additional and Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar pronounced Khan guilty of misdeclaring assets, leading to his conviction. The judge handed down a three-year prison sentence, accompanied by arrest warrants and a fine of Rs100,000. Furthermore, the judge dismissed Khan’s petition challenging the admissibility of the case.
In response to this verdict, the political party affiliated with the former prime minister has appealed to the Supreme Court, aiming to invalidate Judge Dilawar’s decision. Simultaneously, the PTI has approached Islamabad High Court, Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, requesting the transfer of Khan from Attock jail to Adiala jail.
This sequence of events shows the legal battles and political dynamics surrounding Khan’s arrest and subsequent conviction. The case’s ramifications extend beyond the immediate legal consequences, impacting the broader political landscape of Pakistan.
