An anti-corruption court in Pakistan  discharged Bushra Bibi, the wife of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, in 12 cases linked to the riots of May 9 last year, in a major relief to the former first couple. Violence erupted in the country after Khan was arrested in Islamabad by the authorities to probe him in a case of corruption.

Anti-terrorism court Judge Malik Ejaz Asif presided over the hearing held at Adiala Jail Rawalpindi, where the police had requested the physical remand of Bibi for further investigation. During the detailed hearing, the court examined the police’s request for physical remand, which was aimed at probing Bibi’s alleged involvement in the 12 cases, including the attack on the General Headquarters (GHQ).

However, after careful consideration, the court rejected the police’s plea and discharged Bibi from all related cases. Her lawyer, Salman Safdar, told the media outside the Adiala Jail that she had been named in the cases based on various statements that had no legal standing. “The court thoroughly reviewed the arguments from both sides before delivering its decision,” he said.

The lawyer also predicted that the decision to discharge her by the court today was likely to affect the cases of Khan who was also nominated in those cases along with hundreds of other workers of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.

Khan, 71, has been imprisoned at the Adiala Jail for more than a year now upon his conviction in multiple cases. His wife, 49-year-old Bushra, is also jailed along with him. Khan faces over 200 cases and has been convicted in a few.

Though the former-cricketer-turned-politician had secured bail or his conviction was set aside, he has not been released.