ISLAMABAD: Bushra Bibi, the wife of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, was put under house arrest at her residence in Bani Gala, Geo News reported on Wednesday evening, following her conviction in the infamous Toshakhana case.
Authorities declared the Bani Gala residence a “sub-jail” to confine the former first lady at the request of Adiala jail superintendent.
Bushra and Khan were awarded a 14-year jail term, each, when accountability court’s Judge Muhammad Bashir announced the verdict in the case related to the illegal sale of state gifts.
The court also disqualified the former prime minister for 10 years from holding public office besides imposing a fine of Rs1.57 billion — 787 million each — on the couple.
During the previous hearing, which was also held at Adiala jail, the court recorded Bushra Bibi’s statement under Section 342.
Khan told the court that his wife had nothing to do with the case and was being humiliated by being forcibly dragged into it.
At the outset of the hearing today, Judge Bashir asked Khan if he recorded his statement. To this, the former premier said that he would submit his statement once his lawyers came.
“I have been deceived as I was only called to mark my attendance for the hearing,” said the PTI founder.
The sentencing by an anti-graft court in Islamabad comes a day after Khan and PTI senior leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi were handed a 10-year jail term in cipher case related to the leaking of state secrets.
Khan was also handed a three-year prison sentence in August last year by the trial court for selling gifts worth more than 140 million rupees ($501,000) in state possession and received during his 2018-2022 premiership.
Wednesday’s verdict was linked to the same matter, but followed an investigation by the top anti-graft body, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), which had also charged his wife in the case.
Khan’s earlier three-year sentence was later suspended but Khan remains behind bars in connection with other cases. He has said that he legally purchased the state gifts.
Government officials have alleged Khan’s aides sold the gifts in Dubai.
