Islamabad court dismisses case against ex-Pakistan PM Imran Khan's marriage

The case was heard by Civil Judge Nasr Minullah, with Advocate Raja Rizwan Abbasi representing the petitioner.

During the hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer argued that the marriage during Iddat is illegal, and as per the law, Bushra Bibi was in Iddat in January 2018 and was divorced in November of the same year.

The lawyer questioned the legality of the marriage, asking why the marriage took place again, a report said.

Rizwan Abbasi told the court that the "fraud" started from Bani Gala and the marriage took place in Lahore.

To which the judge contended that if the marriage took place in Lahore, how does this court have jurisdiction?

The lawyer replied that the cleric who performed the Nikah was from Islamabad.

In the end, the court reserved its verdict and later ruled that the plea against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi is beyond the jurisdiction of the court, and thus inadmissible.

In 2018, Imran Khan tied the knot with Bushra Bibi after she divorced her former husband Khawar Farid Maneka.

“Iddat” is the period a woman must observe after the death of her husband or after a divorce, during which she may not marry another man.

Last month, during hearing in the case, the nikahkhwan, who solemnized the marriage of Imran Khan, told the Islamabad District and Sessions Court that according to the PTI chief, there was a prediction that if he married Bushra Bibi, he would become the prime minister.

Mufti Muhammad Saeed Khan, the nikahkhwan, recorded his statement with the district and sessions court in April.

The Mufti claimed that Imran contacted him over the phone on January 1, 2018, asking him to solemnize his marriage with Bushra Bibi.

The PTI chief took him to a house in DHA Lahore where a woman identified herself as Bushra Bibi’s sister, Saeed claimed, and said he asked the woman if Bushra Bibi’s nikah could be solemnized as per Shariah.

He told the court that the woman told him that all the conditions of the Shariah for Bushra Bibi’s marriage were fulfilled.

On the woman’s assurance, Mufti Saeed solemnized the nikah on January 1, 2018. After marriage, Imran and Bushra Bibi started living together in Islamabad.

Saeed further claimed Imran Khan contacted him again in February that year, requesting him to conduct another nikah with Bushra on the pretext that the first time her iddat had not been completed.

Mufti Saeed said Imran Khan claimed Bushra bibi was divorced in November 2017 and that after marrying Bushra, there was a prediction that he would become the prime minister.

Imran Khan himself said the first nikah was illegal, Mufti Saeed claimed.