ISLAMABAD: The Punjab government on Wednesday withdrew all its appeals in the Supreme Court challenging the bail granted to former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi.
Read More: Court halts arrests in five cases against Imran until today
A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Muhammad Hashim Kakar, was hearing the petitions filed by the Punjab government against the bail granted to the PTI founder and his spouse in May 9 and related cases. During the proceedings, the prosecutor representing the Punjab government informed the court that he had received instructions not to press the appeals. He requested permission to withdraw all petitions filed against the lower court’s orders.
عمران خان کی ممکنہ رہائی,پنجاب حکومت نے سزاؤں کے خلاف 4 درخواستیں واپس لے لیںhttps://t.co/IpBUoko2Tn#ImranKhan #PunjabGovernment #AppealsWithdrawn #PotentialRelease #SupremeCourt #PTI #PakistanPolitics #LegalUpdate #ImranKhanNews pic.twitter.com/d97TBxnBIc
— Mazaj News (@Mazajnews1) February 18, 2026
The Supreme Court accepted the request and formally dismissed the petitions as withdrawn, effectively ending the legal challenge to the bail of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.
In a separate matter, the same bench also reviewed an appeal in the Toshakhana case. PTI counsel Latif Khosa noted that a two-member bench of the Islamabad High Court had suspended Imran Khan’s sentence in the case. However, Khosa argued that the appeal was still pending, and due to this, the PTI founder remained barred from contesting elections despite the suspension of his sentence.
Justice Hashim Kakar inquired about the status of the appeal and emphasized that if a sentence is suspended, there should be no legal impediment, including participating in elections. He further asked whether a person would remain in jail or be released once the sentence is suspended. Khosa clarified that upon suspension, the individual would be released.
Read More: Court extends interim bails of Imran, Bushra in multiple cases
The withdrawal of the Punjab government’s appeals marks a significant development in the ongoing legal proceedings surrounding Imran Khan and his wife. Observers noted that the decision could impact his eligibility to participate in upcoming elections and may set a precedent for how suspended sentences are treated in related legal matters.