PTI founder, Bushra Bibi react to conviction in Nikah case

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi have lamented the verdict in “un-Islamic” Nikah case, saying that the case was created to “humiliate and disgrace” them, ARY News reported on Friday.

An Islamabad court sentenced former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to seven years in jail each in a case related to their marriage during the latter’s Iddat period.

Senior civil judge Qudratullah announced the reserved verdict on the complaint filed by Bushra’s former husband Khawar Maneka in a makeshift court at Adiala jail. The court also imposed Rs500,000 fines each on the couple.

In an informal conversation with journalists, Imran Khan said that the case against him was created to “humiliate and disgrace” both him and his spouse, Bushra Bibi. “This marks the first instance in history where a case related to Iddat has been initiated,” he added.

Furthermore, the PTI founder reiterated that he has neither accepted nor would accept in future any deals, adding that he would “choose death over making a deal with anyone”.

He pointed out that it was also the first time that someone was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment in a Toshakhana case.

He added his party’s top leadership was targeted right after the announcement of the election schedule. “Now, election candidates are not even being allowed to run their campaigns,” he rued.

Imran Khan said that Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by Supreme Court of Pakistan, but “all the cases were closed after formation of a JIT [joint investigation team]”. He regretted that the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) had a strong case against Shehbaz Sharif, but it was also closed.

Meanwhile, Bushra Bibi – while reacting to the verdict – said the matter of “iddat” was present in the Holy Quran and every bit is clear. “This is a war of honor and dishonor,” she said, adding that the nation has to make a decision.

The verdict comes in the same week Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 14 years in the Toshakhana case. Imran and fellow PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi also received a 10-year sentence in the cipher case this week.

Marriage

The former prime minister married Bushra Bibi in February 2018 in Lahore.

The ceremony was attended by only close relatives, including the bride’s mother, and friends. PTI founder’s sisters, however, were not in attendance.

Mufti Saeed had performed the nikah in the presence of former Pakitan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Awn Chaudhary and former SAPM Zulfi Bukhari who appeared as witnesses.

Last year, Khawar Maneka — Bibi’s former husband, who had approached the court — had claimed that the marriage was illegal and against the laws of Sharia.

Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were originally accused of marrying within the three-month “iddat period” that follows a divorce. Additionally, Maneka has accused them of fornication.