Pak authorities flexing muscles to arrest jailed former PM Imran Khan's wife Bushra Bibi

Islamabad: Authorities in Pakistan have been flexing muscles to arrest jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's wife Bushra Bibi for failing to appear in court in an alleged corruption case of 190 million pounds.

The move follows a November 22 ruling by an accountability court that issued non-bailable warrants against Bibi after she missed eight consecutive hearings, The Express Tribune reported on Friday.

Judge Nasir Javed Rana dismissed her plea for exemption from court appearances.

Following the directive, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) asked its Rawalpindi team to arrest Bibi, who is living in Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where her PTI party is in power, officials said.

The report said a NAB team accompanied by police visited Peshawar on November 23 but had to return empty-handed, the officials said.

The team was informed that she was not present at home when it showed the arrest warrants at Bibi's residence.

Both Khan and Bibi are accused of misusing Pak Rs 50 billion (190 million pounds) which were returned to Pakistan by the UK’s National Crime Agency as part of a settlement with a property tycoon.

The funds were reportedly intended for the national treasury but allegedly redirected for the personal benefit of the businessman who helped Bibi and Khan to set up a university.

Bibi, as a trustee of the Al-Qadir Trust, is accused of benefiting from this settlement.

She is also accused of acquiring 458 kanals of land for Al-Qadir University in Jhelum.

Bibi was last month granted bail after nine months in custody over the Toshakhana case.

Bibi leads a conservative life and wears a full Muslim veil but came to the limelight while leading a protest march this week, demanding the release of her detained husband.