Bushra Bibi, the wife of former prime minister Imran Khan, has been transferred from Adiala Jail to Bani Gala, where her husband’s residence has been declared as a sub-jail by the authorities.
Bushra Bibi was sentenced to 14 years in prison by an accountability court on January 31, 2024, in the Toshakhana corruption case, along with her husband, who was also disqualified from holding any public office for 10 years. The couple was accused of receiving luxury vehicles and gifts from foreign dignitaries through a secret fund and failing to deposit them in the national treasury.
Bushra Bibi voluntarily surrendered herself by arriving at Adiala Jail after the verdict was announced in her absence. However, the jail authorities decided to shift her to Bani Gala, where Imran Khan’s house was turned into a sub-jail, following the requests from the Punjab and federal governments.
According to sources, the jail administration is considering various options to make the sub-jail secure and comfortable for Bushra Bibi, who is also known as the spiritual mentor of Imran Khan. Some of the options include Bani Gala House, Zaman Park, and the government rest house. The notification for the sub-jail will be issued by the Punjab government for Punjab and by the district administration for Islamabad.
The decision to declare Bani Gala House as a sub-jail has sparked controversy and criticism from the opposition parties, who accused the government of giving preferential treatment to Imran Khan and his wife⁶. They also questioned the legality and morality of the move, saying that it was a mockery of justice and accountability.
However, the government and the PTI leaders defended the decision, saying that it was in accordance with the law and that Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi had always respected the law. They also claimed that the couple had paid the fine of Rs 787 million each for the illegal construction of their house, which was conditionally approved by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in March 2020.