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The couple was convicted in the case on February 3, just five days before Pakistan conducted 2024 General Elections read more
 "Ex-Pak PM, wife Bushra acquitted in Iddat case")
Former PM of Pakistan Imran Khan with wife Bushra Bibi. X/@PTIofficial
Former Prime Minister of Pakistan and the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and his wife Bushra Bibi have been acquitted in the Iddat case. The decision is considered a major win for Imran since this is the last existing case that was keeping the PTI founder in jail.
Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka announced a short order reserved on Saturday, accepting the couple’s plea seeking annulment of their conviction in the Iddat case — also known as the un-Islamic nikah case.
The couple was convicted in the case on February 3, just five days before Pakistan conducted General Elections. Interestingly, the complaint against Imran and Bushra was filed by the latter’s ex-husband, Khawar Fareed Manek. In the complaint, it was alleged that the Pakistani couple contracted marriage during Bushra’s Iddat period.
The PTI founder and Bushra were sentenced to seven years in prison and awarded a fine of PKR 500,000 each. After giving out a ruling on the matter, the court also said that both Khan and his wife should be immediately released if they are not wanted in any other case.
“Both the petitions seeking the formation of a medical board and consultations with the religious scholars are hereby rejected,” the verdict stated, immediately issuing a release order for the incarcerated couple after the hearing.
What was the case about?
The Iddat issue first came to light when a petitioner, Muhammad Hanif, claimed that Bushra Bibi was divorced by her former husband in November 2017 and married Khan on January 1, 2018, despite the fact that she was still undergoing her iddat period.
The period deals with the time when a woman goes into isolation after her husband dies or divorces her. Re-marrying before the period ends “is against the Sharia and Muslim norms.”
At that time, a district and sessions court in Islamabad rejected the plea and termed it as “inadmissible”. Later, Bushra’s ex-husband Maneka filed a complaint against the “un-Islamic marriage” of Khan and Bushra. The case was filed on November 25, 2023, under Sections 34, 496, and 496-B of the Pakistan Penal Code.
On January 16, 2024, the couple were indicted in the case and after a 14-hour hearing in the Adiala jail, the trial court reserved its verdict and the couple were awarded seven years of imprisonment each. The couple went on to file multiple pleas against their sentence and conviction.
What makes the ruling important?
The verdict holds significance for Khan since this was the only existing case that kept the former Pakistani prime minister behind bars. Earlier this year, he secured relief in other cases including £190 million reference and the Toshakhana case. Earlier this month, he was also acquitted in the Cipher Case.
Khan has been also granted bail in several May 9 cases registered in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad. Hence, the ex-premier isn’t under arrest in any other case and it would be intriguing to see whether the verdict will see Khan coming out of prison or not.
PTI celebrates the move
Immediately after the verdict, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan told the media that the purpose of the conviction was to force Imran to compromise but “Imran has stood steady as a rock”.
“I met Imran Khan and Bibi today as well in Adiala, and he was very happy about yesterday’s verdict,” Gohar said referring to the Supreme Court’s decision to rule the PTI eligible for reserved seats.
“The win today is the country’s win and is a win for the independent judiciary. The world has now seen that this was merely a case made for political victimisation," he added.
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English (US) ·