June 27th 2024.
In Islamabad, a district court made a decision that caused quite a stir on Thursday. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi had appealed to have their sentences suspended in the illegal marriage case, but their pleas were rejected. This case, also known as the Iddat case, has been making headlines since it first came to light.
The former couple had been sentenced to seven years in jail with a hefty fine of Rs 5,00,000 each back in February. The district and sessions court had found them guilty of contracting marriage during the period when a Muslim woman should wait after divorce or the death of her husband before remarrying. After hearing both sides, the additional district and sessions judge Afzal Majoka had reserved the verdict on Tuesday and finally announced it to a packed courtroom on Thursday.
Unfortunately for Khan and Bibi, their hopes of being released from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi were dashed as their appeals were rejected. The couple has been facing a number of legal cases, with the 71-year-old Khan being slapped with several charges while his 49-year-old wife faces a couple of cases herself.
This particular case was filed by Bibi's ex-husband, Khawar Maneka, in November 2023. He had alleged that the couple had married without Bibi observing the mandatory waiting period of iddat, and requested the court to declare their marriage null and void. The couple had initially challenged their conviction before district and sessions judge Shahrukh Arjumand, but he recused himself from the case right before announcing the verdict.
The case was then transferred to ADSJ Majoka, and the Islamabad High Court had given the sessions court 10 days to make a decision. This was a highly publicized case, as Khan and Bibi had married in 2018, the same year that Khan won the elections and became prime minister. Bibi, who was initially seen as Khan's spiritual guide, had developed feelings for him over the course of their meetings. She had divorced her husband of 28 years, with whom she had five children, in order to marry Khan.
This was Khan's third marriage, and as a former cricketing hero, he had a reputation of being a playboy during his sporting career. Despite the controversy surrounding their marriage, the couple had remained strong and determined to fight for their love. However, with the court's decision, they will have to continue serving their sentences in jail.
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