ISLAMABAD: District and Sessions Judge Shahrukh Arjumand after a court room chaos went inside his chambers as complainant Khawar Manika expressed no confidence on him Wednesday.
The judge left the court room without announcing the decision as the his long-awaited verdict on the appeals lodged by Imran Khan, the founding chairman of PTI, and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, regarding their sentencing in the Iddat case.
PTI lawyers slapped ex-hushand of Bushra Bibi, Khawar Maninka as he came outside the court room.
Earlier this year, Senior Civil Judge Qudratullah, following a trial in jail, handed down a seven-year prison term to former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, accompanied by a fine of Rs 0.5 million each, for their alleged offense of “contracting marriage during the ‘Iddat’ period” of former first lady.
This case stemmed from a complaint by Bushra’s former husband, Khawar Maneka, who accused her of violating the Islamic practice of observing the mandatory waiting period, or Iddat, before marrying Imran. He further alleged that they had engaged in an adulterous relationship before their marriage.
The Iddat period is obligatory for Muslim women following the death of their husband or the dissolution of marriage. Imran and Bushra contested the verdict in an Islamabad district and sessions court.
During the proceedings, Bushra’s legal representative, Usman Riaz Gill, argued that Maneka had lodged the complaint six years after the fact. Initially, a certain Muhammad Hanif had filed a similar complaint, but it was deemed inadmissible by the court in May 2023. Gill highlighted that Maneka’s complaint lacked authenticity, as the document presented to the court was only a photocopy.
Gill maintained that Bushra had completed the Iddat period before her remarriage, as she stated that the divorce occurred in April 2017. Deputy District Prosecutor Adnan Ali, however, insisted that completing the Iddat period was crucial for the validity of the marriage. He claimed that Maneka and Bushra had a happy marriage for 28 years until Imran’s interference led to their divorce.
He said the defence did not present videos from the daughters of Maneka as they were against Bushra’s marriage to Imran.
