RAWALPINDI: In a new graft reference, an accountability court on Sunday authorized the eight-day physical remand of Imran Khan, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and his wife, Bushra Bibi.
The PTI founder and his wife were cleared in the iddat, or illegal marriage, case less than a day ago, but their prospects of being released from prison were dashed when the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) detained them in a separate Toshakhana reference.
Extra Meetings Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka had overturned the couple’s conviction the day before, finding that their nikah was fake. Bushra’s ex-husband, Khawar Maneka, had sought for the couple to be sentenced to seven years in prison and a fine of Rs 500,000 apiece.
A team of the anti-corruption watchdog led by Deputy Director Mohsin Haroon, however, arrested the couple in the Adiala Jail shortly after the ruling reversing their sentence. The new reference was related to alleged “misuse of power for acquiring Toshakhana gifts”.
The PTI was anticipating the release of its founder, which, had it occurred, would have provided a significant boost to the previous ruling party, after winning a significant legal battle when a 13-member Supreme Court bench ruled the party qualified for the allotment of reserved seats.
The accountability court did, however, instruct the NAB to question the two suspects in Adiala jail and to bring the couple before the court on July 22.
