Pakistan´s former Prime Minister, Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi at the Lahore High Court in Lahore on July 17, 2023. — AFP
RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi Saturday were handed a seven-year sentence each by a trial court in the un-Islamic nikah” case.
Senior civil judge Qudratullah, a day after the case’s hearing was conducted inside the Adiala Jail’s premises for 14 hours, pronounced the verdict today at the same venue.
The couple have also been fined Rs500,000 each. Both Khan and Bushra were present in the courtroom when the verdict was announced.
The court had reserved its decision after the arguments were completed yesterday.
Bushra Bibi, who has been placed at the couple’s Banigala residence following its status declared as a sub-jail, was brought to Adiala for the final hearing with Khan and their lawyers in attendance.
The court has been hearing the case on the petition filed by Bushra Bibi’s ex-husband Khawar Maneka against what he refers to as her “un-Islamic and illegal nikah” with the former prime minister.
The verdict was issued after cross-examination of the statements given by the four witnesses in the case was completed. The statements of Khan and Bushra under section 342 were also been recorded.
The complainant’s counsel Raja Rizwan Abbasi, Khan’s lawyer Salman Akram Raja and Bushra Bibi’s lawyer Usman Gul also gave their final arguments a day earlier.
Nikah during iddat
Maneka, in his petition, had termed Bushra and Khan’s nikkah “fraudulent” contending that the marriage was solemnised during her iddat — following her divorce with him.
“That above said nikah and the marriage ceremony was neither legal nor Islamic as it was solemnised without observing iddah period,” read the petition available with Geo.tv.
He also accused the former prime minister of ruining his entire life with the petition stating that the PTI top leader “stigmatised the complainant and his family just to achieve his unethical and immoral objects through intrusion in the complainant’s peaceful marital life”.
“In light of the above, it is humbly prayed that respondents No.1 [Imran Khan] and 2 [Bushra Bibi] be summoned and punished strictly in accordance with law in the interest of justice,” Maneka prayed to the court.
Source link: https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1154187-un-islamic-nikah-case-court-awards-7-year-sentence-to-imran-bushra