Initial Conviction

Khan and Bushra Bibi were initially sentenced to seven years in prison just days before Pakistan’s February election. The court had ruled that their 2018 marriage violated Islamic law.

Previous Court Decisions

In June, a court rejected their plea to suspend the February ruling. However, on Saturday, an Islamabad court accepted their appeals, leading to their acquittal.

Statements from PTI and Legal Team

Zulfi Bukhari, a senior official in Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, told Al Jazeera that the charges had been “dismissed.” Khan’s lawyer, Naeem Panjutha, confirmed on social media platform X that the couple “are acquitted.”

Khan’s Continued Detention

Despite the acquittal, Khan remains in jail. This week, a court canceled his bail over accusations that he incited riots by his supporters in May 2023. Lawyer Intazar Hussain Panjutha informed Al Jazeera that Khan “will not be released despite the acquittal today [Saturday].”

Related Legal Issues

Additionally, an anti-terrorism court in Lahore approved Khan’s arrest this week in connection to last year’s riots. The court refused to grant him bail on Tuesday as the investigation into his alleged role in the unrest continues, despite the fact he was already behind bars at the time.