Bushra Bibi, wife of former prime minister Imran Khan, was released from Adiala Jail on Thursday, nine months after she was imprisoned alongside him in the runup to elections. She reached her Bani Gala residence in Islamabad soon afterwards, but later she changed her plans for staying in the federal capital.

Special Judge (central) Shahrukh Arjumand issued the release orders after Bibi’s lawyers submitted a surety bond worth Rs1 million to the court.

In the days before the February polls, Bibi was convicted of graft and illegal marriage alongside opposition leader Khan in what he claimed was a campaign to sideline him from the vote.

“She was kept in jail to put pressure on Imran Khan,” Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Gohar Ali Khan told reporters.

“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all PTI supporters on the release of Bushra Bibi, and we offer our gratitude to God.”

Following the election, the illegal marriage case collapsed on appeal and Bibi’s graft sentence was suspended.

The Islamabad High Court granted bail to the former first lady in the new Toshakhana case on Wednesday. Her release was delayed due to the unavailability of the special judge to issue the release order.

PTI lawyers spent Wednesday attempting to submit the surety bonds and secure her release, but the court adjourned before the process could be completed.

Attempts to obtain the release order from Administrative Judge Raja Jawad Abbas were also unsuccessful as he had already left for the day.

Gohar said that after her release Bibi was headed home to the upscale Bani Gala neighbourhood on the outskirts of the capital Islamabad.

Sources within the party told Aaj News that, she changed her plans for staying in the federal capital and would travel to Peshawar on the PTI leadership recommendation.

A faith healer who has rarely been seen in public, Bibi wedded Khan shortly before he was elected in 2018 after becoming his spiritual guide.

She was arrested on January 31 – one week before Pakistan went to the polls. The charges against her in the illegal marriage case sparked uproar both among PTI supporters and wider society.

“The cases brought against her were not only false and unjust, but also petty and morally questionable,” PTI supporter Aqsa Qasim, who was waiting outside the residence, told AFP.

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“It’s been a long time since we received any good news, but today we are here to welcome the wife of our leader, who was unjustly imprisoned.”

Former cricket star Khan served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022, when he was ousted in a parliamentary no-confidence vote.

As opposition leader, 72-year-old Khan led an unprecedented campaign of defiance before becoming tangled in slews of court cases he claims have been orchestrated to prevent his return to power.

Despite that, candidates loyal to PTI secured more seats than any other party in the February elections – which were marred by allegations of vote tampering.