Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi acquitted in iddat case

Islamabad: In a significant development for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), party founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were acquitted in the iddat case by a district and sessions court on Saturday.

The court accepted their pleas seeking annulment of their conviction in the un-Islamic nikah case, media reports said.

Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka announced the short order earlier in the day.

Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were sentenced to seven years in prison and fined Rs500,000 each in February after a trial court found their nikah to be fraudulent. Khawar Maneka, Bushra’s ex-husband, had moved the court against the couple’s marriage.

The couple had challenged their conviction and even approached the Islamabad High Court for relief.

In the 28-page verdict, the court noted that Maneka “remained passive for about six years,” thereby forfeiting his right of Ruju, the period to normalise the relationship within the duration of iddat after divorce.

Stressing Maneka’s failure to prove his case, the court stated, “They [Khan and Bushra] are directed to be released forthwith if not required to be detained in any other case.”

The verdict also rejected the petitions seeking the formation of a medical board and consultations with religious scholars.

Today’s verdict clears the last existing legal hurdle keeping Imran Khan in jail.

His sentences in the two Toshakhana cases were suspended while he was acquitted by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in the cipher case.

Various courts have also acquitted him in several other cases filed against him since the events of May 9, 2023 — the day when his first arrest had caused riots across the country, following which the state launched a crackdown against him and his party.

The IHC in May also approved Imran’s bail application in the 190 million pound corruption case, saying that the investigation into the matter was complete and the PTI founder’s “continued incarceration” would not serve any purpose.

However, a Lahore anti-terrorism court on Tuesday dismissed Imran’s pre-arrest bail petitions in three cases related to the May 9 riots.

Following the verdict, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, while speaking to the media, said that the purpose of the conviction was to force Imran Khan 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 the 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.”

The PTI praised Bushra Bibi for the “bravery” with which she faced the trial, adding that she made every woman in society proud.