Court announces reserved verdict; imposes fine of Rs0.5 million each on former premier and wife
The court sentenced former premier Imran Khan and wife Bushra Bibi to seven years imprisonment each on Saturday in the 'un-Islamic' marriage case. A fine of Rs0.5 million each was also imposed on the ex-premier and his wife.
This is the third sentencing for the PTI leader over the last five days. The former premier was earlier this week sentenced to 10-year imprisonment in the cypher case, and 14-year imprisonment in the Toshakhana case.
The verdict in the 'un-Islamic' marriage case was
reserved by the court last night after a lengthy 14-hour hearing concluded on Friday night.
The hearing was conducted within the premises of Adiala jail in Rawalpindi, and was presided over by Islamabad’s Senior Civil Judge Qudratullah.
The case, filed by Bushra Bibi's first husband, Khawar Maneka, alleges that Bushra violated the Islamic practice of observing the mandatory pause, or Iddat, between two marriages. Furthermore, Maneka accused his ex-wife and Khan of having an adulterous relationship before their marriage.
Earlier, the cross-examination of the four prosecution witnesses, including Maneka, Aun Chaudhry, Nikah Khawan Mufti Saeed, and Maneka’s employee Latif, was completed. The defence was led by Advocate Salman Akram Raja for Imran and Advocate Osman Riaz Gul for Bushra.
Khan and Bushra submitted a joint statement of 342, answering 13 questions. In her statement, Bushra declared the divorce certificate of November 14, 2017, as fabricated, claiming she completed her mandatory iddat period from April to August 2017 after receiving a verbal triple talaq from Maneka in April 2017.
The court rejected the defence's request to produce additional witnesses. A plea of acquittal under Section 249-A and jurisdictional pleas under Section 179 were also rejected.
During the hearing on February 1, Maneka made serious accusations against Imran, claiming the illicit relationship began during the 2014 sit-in and accusing the PTI founder of ruining his family. Imran challenged Maneka to take an oath on the Holy Quran.
Maneka also spoke to reporters, revealing the impact on his family, stating that one daughter faced divorce, and one son entered a rehabilitation centre due to the alleged affair.
Read US says Imran's sentence 'matter for Pakistani courts'
Bushra Bibi, speaking for the first time in Adiala Jail, portrayed herself as a victim of a plot to humiliate her. She vowed not to succumb to pressure, labelled the accusations as an attempt to weaken Imran and the PTI, and emphasised her determination to stand firm.
'Shameful case'
Addressing the media after the announcement of the verdict, PTI chairman Barrister Gauhar Khan declared the trial a shameful one considering the very private nature of the allegations.
The party leader sarcastically stated that the verdict was in line with what was being expected.
He said the party will approach the high court against the judgment in the case. The PTI chairman maintained that none of the recent verdicts against Imran will hold up in front of tribunals.
"I said to the judge that this was not expected of you," Gauhar stated, adding that the judiciary was being used for political purposes.
Addressing party supporters through the media, Gauhar said that Imran has again urged his supporters to remain calm and peaceful.
"I will not make any deal, even if I have to stay in prison for a thousand years. Show your support on February 8 and come out and vote," Gohar quoted the PTI founder.
Cypher case
On January 30, a special court established under the Official Secrets Act awarded former prime minister Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi
10-year imprisonment in the high-profile cypher case.
The court, presided by Judge Abul Hasanat Zulqarnain, announced the verdict during the hearing held within the premises of Rawalpindi's Adiala jail.
Before sentencing Imran, the judge asked the former premier one last time where the cypher was.
“I have mentioned in my statement that the Prime Minister House’s security was not my responsibility. I don’t have the cypher,” he stated.
The judge also provided the two PTI leaders with copies of the statement and the questionnaire under Section 342 and both accused were asked to record their replies in the questionnaire.
After Imran and Qureshi recorded their statements under Section 342, the court announced its verdict.
Toshakhana verdict
A day after his conviction in the diplomatic cypher case, Imran was dealt another blow on January 31 as an accountability court judge found him and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, guilty of misusing states’ gift repository and sentenced them to
14 years in prison.
The court also slapped a fine of Rs787 million each on the accused individuals in what is being described as the most swiftly concluded trial in accountability courts’ history.
In the reference filed last month—on December 19, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had accused the former PM and his wife of retaining precious gifts received during Imran’s terms as the country’s chief executive in violation of the prescribed protocol.
Interestingly, another trial court on August 5, 2023, disqualified Imran Khan and sentenced him to three years in prison for not disclosing the gifts he received as the prime minister in his statements of assets and liabilities submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Islamabad Accountability Court-I Judge Muhammad Bashir had presided over the trial on NAB reference inside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where Imran Khan has been detained since September last year.
