Islamabad court grants bail to Imran in six cases, Bushra Bibi in one case

A sessions court in Islamabad on Tuesday granted bail to PTI founder Imran Khan in six cases and to his wife Bushra Bibi in one case.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Afzal Majoka heard six pre-arrest bail petitions filed by the PTI founder and one by Bushra Bibi. After hearing arguments from both sides, the court approved their bail against surety bonds of Rs50,000 each.

The cases against the PTI founder include charges related to the May 9 unrest, the Azadi March, attempted murder, vandalism, arson, and allegations concerning fake receipts in the Toshakhana matter.

A separate case regarding alleged fake Toshakhana receipts has also been registered against Bushra Bibi at Kohsar police station.

During the hearing, prosecutors Raja Naveed Hussain Kiyani, Mazhar Bashir and Tahir Kazim appeared before the court. The prosecution argued that there was solid evidence against the former premier and maintained that both Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were not entitled to bail. They urged the court to dismiss the petitions.

Defence counsel Salman Safdar, representing the PTI founder, contended that the delay in deciding the bail applications was unprecedented. He said that 63 adjournments had been granted to the state in the case. On 30 occasions, the court had directed jail authorities to produce his client, but he was not presented. He added that show-cause notices had been issued to the jail superintendent five times.

Safdar further argued that the bail plea was being sought on merit rather than on medical grounds. He also told the court that, apart from the May 9 cases, no pre-arrest bail application of the PTI founder had previously been rejected. He alleged that some cases were filed merely to intimidate, and that charges had not even been formally framed in certain matters.