ISLAMABAD: A local court, on Saturday, awarded Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi seven years’ imprisonment each for allegedly solemnizing nikkah during Bushra Bibi’s Iddat period.
The Civil Judge Qudratullah while announcing its 50-page reserved verdict said that complainant (Khawar Maneka former husband of Bushra Bibi) has been able to prove that the respondents (Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi) have gone through an unlawful marriage ceremony on January 1, 2018, with dishonest and fraudulent intention and as such has established the charge against the respondents for an offence within the meaning 496 PPC; therefore, both the respondents, i.e., Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi and Bushra Khan wife of Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi, residents of Bani Gala, Islamabad are convicted for charges under the above-preferred section of the law and as a consequence sentenced to seven years simple imprisonment each.
Court reserves verdict in Nikah case
It says that the evidence on record also proves that both the respondents acted fraudulently by establishing contacts with each other prior to solemnisation of fraudulent Nikkah on January 1, 2018 under the guise of spiritual healings.
They shall also be liable to pay fine of Rs500,000 each and in default of payment of such fine, shall undergo further imprisonment for a period of four months, it says. The judgment says that as they are in custody, warrant of commitment in this case is issued to Superintendent Jail Adiala, Rawalpindi, authorising and directing him to keep both the respondents in jail for undergoing the sentence awarded in this case.
Both Khan and Bushra Bibi were present in the courtroom when the verdict was announced.
The court reserved its verdict on Friday last after completion of the examination of four witnesses including the complainant and former husband of Bushra Bibi, Khawar Maneka, and Awn Chaudhry, Advisor to Prime Minister on Sports and Tourism, Mufti Saeed who solemnized the nikkah and Latif.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024