A Pakistani court has overturned the conviction and seven-year prison sentence of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife in a case related to their alleged unlawful marriage in 2018, according to their lawyers. The decision was made in Rawalpindi, where Khan is currently detained. This ruling lifted the last obstacle to Khan’s release, nearly a year after his incarceration.
The acquittal was declared following the upholding of the conviction and sentence of Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, two weeks ago by another appeals court. The court order stated that the couple should be released if they are not wanted in any other case. Bibi, a spiritual healer and Khan’s third wife, had been previously married and claimed that her divorce occurred in August 2017, adhering to the required three-month waiting period before remarrying.
The government’s response to the court’s decision remains uncertain as multiple cases have been filed against Khan since his removal from power in 2022 through a parliamentary vote of no-confidence. The Supreme Court of Pakistan recently ruled that Khan’s party was wrongly denied around 20 parliamentary seats, dealing a significant blow to the country’s fragile governing coalition. This ruling, while a political victory for Khan, does not grant his party the ability to overthrow Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government, who took office following an election that Khan’s allies allege was rigged.
Imran Khan has faced over 150 legal cases, including charges of inciting violence, since his arrest in May 2023. His detention had sparked nationwide riots during which his supporters attacked government and military buildings and set fire to a state-run radio building. The violence subsided upon Khan’s release following a Supreme Court decision. Khan was arrested again in early August 2023 after receiving a three-year prison term for corruption, but he has since been granted bail in all cases where he has been convicted.