Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi sentenced to 7 years in jail in "un-Islamic marriage" case

A trial court in Islamabad has sentenced Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to 7 years in jail each, in the un-Islamic marriage case.

Senior Civil Judge Qudratullah announced the reserved verdict today at Adiala Jail, where the former prime minister is detained in connection with cipher and Toshakhana cases. 

The court imposed a fine of Rs500,000 on both Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.

Khan and Bushra Bibi recorded their statements under section 342, while four witnesses in the case gave the statements.

The ‘unlawful marriage’ case against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi

Khawar Maneka filed a case in the Islamabad High Court on November 25, 2023, accusing Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi of marrying while she was allegedly in Iddat and engaging in "illicit" relations with the PTI founder.

The complaint entailed accusations of heinous offence of fornication and unlawful marriage.

Iddat is the three-month waiting period that a Muslim woman must observe following the death of her husband or divorce before remarrying.

He submitted a complaint against the ex-premier and his wife in an Islamabad court under sections 34 (common intention), 496 (marriage ceremony fraudulently conducted without lawful marriage), and 496B (fornication) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Maneka urged the court to summon Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, seeking strict legal punishment. 

The complaint alleged that Bushra's UAE-based sister introduced her to Imran during the 2014 PTI sit-in, after which Imran visited Maneka's house under the guise of spiritual healing, a behaviour deemed undesirable and unethical. 

He added that Imran and Bushra solemnised nikkah again in Feb 2018 after the emergence of the reports of the earlier one being illegal.

Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi recorded a joint statement of 342 in Rawalpindi court on Friday, which refuted Maneka’s allegations, maintaining that she received verbal triple divorce from ex-husband in April 2017 and she completed her Iddat period till August.

In January 2018, she tied the knot with the PTI founder.

Following the arguments, Islamabad’s Senior Civil Judge Qudratullah reserved the verdict in the 'un-Islamic' marriage case after a lengthy 14-hour hearing concluded on Friday night.