F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: The trial court has handed seven-year sentences, each, to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the “nikah” case at the Adiala jail.
The verdict was pronounced by Senior Civil Judge Qudratullah on Saturday, a day after the hearing of the case was conducted inside the jail premises for 14 hours a day earlier.
The judge issued the court’s verdict in the case pertaining to the plea filed by Bushra Bibi’s ex-husband Khawar Maneka against what he refers to as an nikah with the former prime minister. So far, cross-examination of the statements given by the four witnesses in the case has been completed. The statements of Khan and Bushra under section 342 have also been recorded.
Bushra Bibi, who has been placed at the Banigala following its status declared as a sub jail, will be brought to Adiala for the final hearing. The verdict will be announced in the presence of the PTI founder, Bushra Bibi and their lawyers. 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. 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.”.
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.
Soon after the unfavourable ruling, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Saturday announced moving the high court against the trial court’s verdict that sentenced its founder Imran Khan and wife Bushra Bibi to seven years in the “un-Islamic nikah” case at the Adiala jail on Saturday.
The verdict, which also provisions an Rs500,000 fine each for both the accused, was announced by senior civil judge Qudratullah today in response to the petition filed by Bushra’s ex-husband Khawar Maneka against what he refers to as an un-Islamic and illegal nikah with the former prime minister.
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.”
Speaking to the media outside Adiala jail today, Khan’s lawyer, Barrister Gohar, said that “shameless, scandalous and unethical allegations” have been made for political motives. “This is a case that has no basis whatsoever, but in fact, was simply filed on the behest of Aun Chaudhry — a former close aid of Khan and one of the key witnesses in the said case.
“The cleric [who solemnised the nikah] has himself admitted that [Aun] Chaudhry ‘picked him up’,” Gohar said. In response to a question regarding the legal grounds for today’s sentence, Khan’s counsel revealed that the judge maintained that the defence’s reliance on the Supreme Court verdict regarding the 39-day iddat is a “general precedent” and is not applicable in this case.
He further said that the court relied on the second function, held for family and children to take them into confidence, as the “valid nikah” instead of the actual nikah that was solemnised before that. “The judge considered the second function as the actual nikah and not the first,” he noted.
“All of this is being done in violation of the constitution for political motives and character assassination of Khan sahib. “We will move the high court against today’s verdict. We are hopeful for justice if these cases are presented before a free and fair tribunal,” he added while calling on the judiciary to uphold their oath and protect our fundamental rights by ensuring principles of justice.
Conveying the PTI’s founder message for his voters, the lawyer said that the former premier has called on his supporters to remain peaceful and persevere in these tough times. “Even if I have to spend a thousand years here [in jail], I would not make any deal,” Gohar said quoting Khan.
Meanwhile, in response to the unfavourable trial court verdict, the PTI issued an official statement via its spokesperson, which mentioned the ruling as “extremely shameful” and “against Shariah”. “The verdict is a serious and vile attack on the book of Allah, Constitution and matrimonial and family laws,” the spokesperson said, adding that the ruling came as an embarrassment for the entire justice system.
