Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi arrested in NAB case after acquittal in Iddat case

Ex-PM and his wife were taken into custody at Adiala Jail by a NAB team, led by Deputy Director Mohsin Haroon

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister, Imran Khan, and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Saturday hours after being acquitted in the Iddat case, sources revealed.

A NAB team, led by Deputy Director Mohsin Haroon, arrived at Adiala Jail, where the former prime minister and his wife were taken into custody under a new reference.

According to NAB sources, Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were arrested in connection with a new Toshakhana reference. As prime minister, Khan and his wife allegedly obtained gifts from the gift repository at low prices and sold them at higher rates.

Also read: Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi acquitted in Iddat case

Sources stated that after completing the legal formalities, the NAB team formally arrested Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.

Earlier, a team investigating the May 9 cases registered in Lahore had also arrived at Adiala Jail, indicating the possibility of further arrests of the PTI founder in those cases.

Meanwhile, the founder of PTI has challenged the rejection of interim bails in three cases in the high court.

In the petitions filed through his lawyer, Barrister Salman Safdar, Imran Khan argued that he is the former prime minister and that the Anti-Terrorism Court dismissed his bails in three cases related to the May 9 riots contrary to the facts.

The petitions request the high court to overturn the trial court's decision and grant interim bails to the PTI founder.

Earlier in the day, Islamabad's District and Sessions Court led by Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka had earlier reserved its decision on the appeals against the sentences of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi in the iddat marriage case.

Short order issued by court said Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi should be immediately released unless they were wanted in other cases.

Several PTI activists and supporters of Imran Khan had gathered outside the court premises to stage rallies, but the atmosphere reportedly changed to celebration as soon as the verdict was announced.

Imran and Bushra Bibi were sentenced in the Iddat Nikkah case a few days before the February 8 general elections in the country. Several civil rights activists and legal experts had condemned the initial conviction handed to the PTI founding leader and his wife.

The couple had filed an appeal against their convictions.