Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, has been granted approval by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to transfer from their Banigala residence, previously designated as a sub-jail, to Adiala Jail, where her husband is currently serving a sentence.
The decision was pronounced by Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb after the verdict had been reserved last week following Bushra Bibi’s petition.
Initially disposed of last month due to her legal representation’s absence, a subsequent plea was filed on the same day seeking the restoration of her petition.
Bushra Bibi was detained on January 31 following a ruling by an Islamabad accountability court, sentencing both her and Imran Khan to 14 years in jail in the Toshakhana reference case. Although their sentences in the Toshakhana case were suspended by the IHC on April 1, she remains in custody due to the Iddat case, while Imran Khan is incarcerated in other legal matters.
Upon the Toshakhana verdict, Bushra Bibi voluntarily surrendered herself at Adiala Jail, where she was apprehended by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). However, she was later moved to their Banigala residence after it was declared a sub-jail through a late-night notification. The decision to designate their home as a sub-jail had been a subject of debate for months, with both Bushra Bibi and Imran Khan denying any application for such status.
Nearly a week post-arrest, Bushra Bibi contested the designation of their residence as a sub-jail, petitioning the IHC to serve her sentence in Adiala Jail.
During subsequent hearings, the Adiala Jail administration opposed her transfer back to the prison, citing security concerns due to overcrowding.
In March, Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb had questioned whether authorities sought Imran Khan’s permission before converting their Banigala residence into a sub-jail.
