ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad District and Sessions Court has rejected the appeals of PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, against their conviction in the iddat nikah case.
District and Sessions Judge Afzal Majoka announced the reserved decision on Thursday, rejecting the couple’s appeals for suspension of their sentences. Consequently, their sentences remain in effect. The PTI has announced its intention to challenge the decision in the Islamabad High Court immediately.
Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi had appealed their convictions in the ‘un-Islamic’ marriage case after Senior Civil Judge Qudratullah sentenced them to seven years in prison on February 3. Their nikah, reportedly conducted during Bushra Bibi’s iddat period following her divorce from Khawar Maneka, was declared against Shariah law. Both were also fined Rs 500,000 each.
The verdict was announced at Adiala Jail, where Imran Khan is currently incarcerated. Senior Civil Judge Qudratullah issued a 50-page judgment, finding the defendants guilty under Section 496 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). If the fine is not paid, the accused would face an additional four months in jail. The decision was pronounced in open court in the presence of the accused, who were provided with copies of the judgment.
On June 25, the judge reserved his verdict, with the hearing on central appeals against the sentence adjourned until July 2. This followed a series of hearings, the most recent of which occurred on June 14, when Judge Majoka postponed the hearing to June 21, stating he would deliver a decision within 10 days if he remained alive.
The court proceedings experienced numerous postponements and legal maneuvers since the initial hearings. On June 13, Judge Majoka noted that the case had faced expressions of no-confidence twice before. This followed a June 7 hearing where appeals for an early hearing and suspension of the sentence were also postponed.
The case revolves around allegations that Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi married during her iddat period, a waiting period a Muslim woman must observe after the death of her husband or a divorce before she can remarry. This led Bushra Bibi’s ex-husband, Khawar Maneka, to file a case against the couple in the court of Islamabad Civil Judge Qudratullah on November 25, 2023.
