Hopes for the release of former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were dashed on Saturday as the national-graft buster arrested them in a state gifts reference hours after a court acquitted both in the unlawful marriage case.

The Lahore police have also arrived at the Adiala Jail, where the PTI founder is imprisoned, to arrest Khan in another case related to May when protesters vandalised state properties after his first arrest in 2023.

Earlier in the day, an Islamabad district and sessions court acquitted the two in the Iddat case. Judge Afzal Majoka overturned their sentences and ordered them to be released at the end of a speedy retrial ordered by Islamabad High Court.

PTI Chairman Gohar Khan claimed that the party would take Khan and Bibi back home after the verdict, however, the situation did not turn out as planned. A two-member NAB team led by Deputy Director Mohsin Haroon had arrived at the prison to arrest them.

Rawalpindi police were called in to assist the jail authorities in ensuring security outside of Adiala Jail. A large contingent of female police officers, including a female SHO, was also deployed at the jail. This move comes after a court order directed authorities to beef up security measures.

Police officials decided to stop all visitors at the Colony Gate and barred them from proceeding to the main gate of the jail.

Earlier this month a UN panel of experts found Khan’s detention “had no legal basis and appears to have been intended to disqualify him from running for political office”.

“Thus, from the outset, that prosecution was not grounded in law and was reportedly instrumentalised for a political purpose,” it said, calling for his immediate release after nearly a year in jail.

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What’s new NAB reference

PTI founder Imran Khan is accused of illegally acquiring and selling 74 watches as the prime minister, according to the latest inquiry report regarding the Toshakhana (state gift repository) case.

It added that the new case involves illegally selling of 10 precious gifts, including Graff watches, Rolex watches, and diamond and gold sets. These gifts were allegedly sold without being properly reported to the Toshakhana, as law requires.

The report further claims that the gifts were sold with the collusion of appraisers, allowing the buyers to benefit. A Graff watch valued at Rs10.92 million was deposited in the government treasury for Rs2.178 million, representing 20 per cent of the actual value, it alleged.

The report added that all gifts must be reported and deposited in the Toshakhana. Gifts valued up to Rs30,000 can be retained by the recipient, but anything above that must be declared and deposited.