ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court, on Tuesday, declared the alleged illegal marriage case of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and his wife Bushra Bibi, admissible and issued notices to both to appear before it on July 20.

Civil Judge Qudratullah, while announcing its verdict reserved a day earlier after hearing arguments from the parties, declared the case admissible and issued notices to Imran Khan and his wife.

According to the written order to the court, the perusal of the record would manifest that in this complaint the petitioner has alleged that respondent Imran Ahmad Niazi entered into Nikkah with respondent Bushra Bibi in January 2018.

It says that the complainant said that at the time of Nikkah between them the latter was in Iddat, as she was divorced by her first husband in the month of November 2017 and her Iddat had to terminate in February 2018. It is also alleged that the act of entering into Nikkah between respondent Khan and Bushra Bibi was even during Iddat period of latter performed because there was some ‘prophecy’ of respondent Bushra Bibi that if both of them would start living with each other from 1st day of 2018, it would glorify their future.

It is also the case of the petitioner that Imran Khan was mindful of the unlawfulness of the marriage that is why he performed his second Nikkah with respondent Bushra Bibi after the termination of her Iddat period in February 2018.

The cursory statement of the complainant, as well as, the supporting witnesses namely, Mufti Muhammad Saeed (Nikkah Khawan) and Aun Chaudhry (alleged witness of the Nikkah) and close friend of Imran Khan have been recorded.

The complainant and the witness have fully supported the contents of the complainant in their deposition before the court, it says.

The order says that the act of performing “Nikkah” during the stated Iddat period of Bushra Bibi was the alleged commission of an offence while their living together at Bani Gala, pursuant to their Nikkah was the consequence of the former act (alleged unlawful Nikkah); hence, in the opinion of this court, this case falls within the preview of Section 179 CrPC; hence, it is adjudged that this court has got territorial jurisdiction to take cognisance in the matter because the place Bani Gala comes within the jurisdiction of the court.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023