ISLAMABAD – A Pakistani court on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for Bushra Bibi, wife of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan, in a graft case involving the alleged illegal sale of state gifts, according to local media outlet ARY News.
The warrant comes two months after Bushra Bibi, 50, was released on bail following nine months of detention. She and Khan are accused of selling state gifts worth over 140 million rupees during his tenure as prime minister from 2018 to 2022. Both deny the allegations.
Renewed Legal Pressure
The Islamabad court’s warrant, issued in the same corruption case, could enable Pakistan’s anti-graft agency, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), to arrest her. The NAB has jurisdiction nationwide.
Bushra Bibi recently led large-scale protests demanding Khan’s release from prison, where he remains pending other trials. Violent clashes erupted during the demonstrations, with Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party alleging dozens of injuries and several deaths among supporters. The government denies any fatalities.
Escalating Political Turmoil
After authorities disrupted a PTI rally in Islamabad, Bushra Bibi reportedly fled to the PTI-controlled province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The arrest warrant adds further pressure on the embattled Khan family as political tensions in Pakistan continue to rise.