Big relief for Imran Khan: Former Pakistan PM, wife Bushra Bibi acquitted in unlawful marriage case

An Islamabad district and sessions court ordered on Saturday to release former Pakistan PM and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the Iddat case, Dawn reported. Additional district and sessions judge (ADSJ) Afzal Majoka announced the judgment a little after 3pm after reserving the verdict earlier in the day.

According to the Dawn, the judge said after accepting their appeals: "If they are not wanted in any other case, then PTI founder Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi should be released [from jail] immediately."

The judge said the orders for the release of PTI founder and his spouse have been issued.

The PTI founder and Bushra were sentenced to seven years in prison and awarded a fine of Rs 500,000 each, in February earlier this year after a trial court found their nikah to be fraudulent as Khawar Maneka, Bushra's ex-husband, moved the court against the couple's marriage.

The decision that was widely criticised by civil society, women activists and lawyers. The verdict had coincided with the Toshakhana and cipher case sentences.

The couple had then challenged their conviction and had even moved the IHC seeking varying relief from the court.

The verdict clears the last existing legal hurdle keeping Imran in jail as he has been acquitted by various courts in several other cases -- including Toshakhana and cipher -- filed against him since the events of May 9, 2023 -- the day when his first arrest had caused riots across the country, following which the state had launched a crackdown against him and his party, the Dawn reported.

The couple was convicted in Iddat case on February 3 -- days before the general elections -- on a complaint filed by Bushra Bibi's ex-husband, Khawar Fareed Maneka, who alleged that they contracted marriage during the former first lady's Iddat period.

Following the verdict, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, while speaking to the media, said that the purpose of the conviction was to force Imran to compromise but "Imran has stood steady as a rock".

"I met Imran Khan and Bibi today as well in Adiala, and he was very happy about yesterday's verdict," Gohar said referring to the Supreme Court's decision to rule the PTI eligible for reserved seats.

"The win today is the country's win and is a win for the independent judiciary. The world has now seen that this was merely a case made for political victimisation", it reported.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from PTI)