Bushra Bibi, the wife of Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has been released from prison nearly nine months after being sentenced in a case concerning the illegal sale of state gifts.

Bibi was freed from Adiala jail in Rawalpindi on Thursday after the Islamabad High Court granted her bail. The news was confirmed by Naeem Haider, a lawyer representing Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

In January, both Bibi and Khan were sentenced to 14 years in prison after being found guilty of selling state gifts in violation of government rules. The court ruled that the couple had illegally sold gifts worth more than 140 million rupees (approximately $505,000), which were received during Khan’s tenure as prime minister from 2018 to 2022. These gifts came from the Toshakhana, or state treasury.

The couple has consistently denied the charges, claiming that they were politically motivated by the government in order to target the 72-year-old former cricket star. Since his removal from office in 2022, Khan has faced numerous legal challenges, including corruption charges and accusations of inciting violence.

Khan remains embroiled in a standoff with Pakistan’s powerful military, which he alleges supports the current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The Sharif-led government, however, maintains that it does not interfere in the judicial process.

Despite the legal turmoil, Khan continues to enjoy widespread popularity, with his party winning the most seats in the February general elections. Since his ousting in 2022, Khan has faced more than 150 legal cases and was imprisoned in August 2023 on corruption charges.

Bushra Bibi, Khan’s third wife, was first arrested in January 2024. Although the couple was acquitted in July on charges related to the legality of their marriage, Bibi was quickly re-arrested in connection with the state gifts case. Following her release, Bibi returned to her residence in Islamabad, according to PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan.