The District and Sessions Court on Thursday granted interim bail to Bushra Bibi, wife of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, in cases related to the November 26 protests.
The court presided over by Duty Judge Shabeer Bhatti, approved the bail after the submission of surety bonds worth Rs. 50,000 for each case.
Bushra Bibi appeared in court alongside her legal team, seeking bail in four cases registered at Tarnol police station and three at Ramana police station. The interim bail is valid until January 13.
This comes after an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi granted her interim bail on December 21 in 32 cases, including 23 linked to the May 9 violence. Her counsel, Faisal Malik, stated that these cases, registered across Rawalpindi, Attock, and Chakwal, are politically motivated.
Speaking to the media, Malik said, “The cases registered against Bushra Bibi are politically motivated and aimed at vengeance.” He also emphasized that Bushra Bibi voluntarily appeared before the ATC to address the allegations.
The PTI protests, which began on November 24, demanded the release of Imran Khan. Protesters, traveling from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Islamabad, gathered at D-Chowk by November 26, where a late-night crackdown by security forces dispersed them.
Meanwhile, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram condemned the £190 million corruption case filed against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, describing it as a “worst example of political victimization.” Addressing a press conference in Peshawar on November 23, Akram warned against further injustices targeting the former prime minister, stating that the public would not tolerate such actions.
The legal challenges faced by the PTI leadership, particularly Bushra Bibi, highlight the growing political tensions in Pakistan. With interim bail granted, the next court proceedings on January 13 will be crucial in determining the course of these cases.
