Court declares plea against Imran-Bushra nikah admissible

ISLAMABAD: A civil court on Monday declared admissible an illegal marriage case against former prime minister Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.

Following this decision, the court issued notices to the parties, including Bushra Bibi, under Section 496-B. The court ordered Bushra Bibi to appear in person on December 14.

The senior civil judge decided to hear a case against Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, over their union, which a complainant said was illegal and against Sharia. Khawar Manika, the ex-husband of Bushra Bibi, appeared in court along with his lawyer, Rizwan Abbasi.

The couple also faces charges of fornication. However, the court has indicated that it would demand two eyewitnesses from the complainant.

The judge heard the arguments on the admissibility of the case and reserved his decision, which he announced a few hours later, declaring the case admissible. The judge issued notices to the parties for December 14. The notices were issued under Section 496-B of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), the fornication clause in Pakistani law, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in jail and a fine of Rs10,000. Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were originally accused of marrying within the three-month iddat period that follows a divorce. However, Bushra Bibi’s former husband, Khawar Maneka, has also accused them of fornication. Maneka’s lawyer, Rizwan Abbasi, presented his arguments on Monday, stating that Section 296-B applied to the case. He claimed that Khawar Maneka and his servant Latif were the two eyewitnesses in the case. However, the judge said that the law was clear and that two witnesses were required in addition to the complainant. The lawyer insisted on presenting his argument and said the maidservant was also in the house and could be produced as a witness. The court also asked about medical evidence. The judge said that Maneka could not be half complainant and half witness at the same time. The judge eventually reserved the decision, which he handed down later. The court has instructed authorities to take Imran Khan’s e-attendance for the case on the next hearing, as he is imprisoned in Adiala jail.