Court reserves verdict on Iddat appeal

ISLAMABAD: An additional district and sessions judge (ADSJ) on Tuesday reserved a decision regarding the petitions seeking the suspension of the convictions of former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in the Iddat case.

ADSJ Mohammad Afzal Majoka is expected to announce the decision today (Wednesday).

The couple was convicted on Feb 3 based on a complaint filed by Bushra Bibi’s ex-husband, Khawar Fareed Maneka, who alleged that they contracted marriage during the Iddat period.

On Tuesday, Barrister Salman Safdar, representing Bushra Bibi, argued that the case would have been significant if Mr Maneka had filed it in 2018.

He highlighted that Mr Maneka lodged the complaint after a six-year delay without providing a plausible reason.

Mr Safdar emphasised the need to suspend the sentence, pointing out that Bushra Bibi is the mother of five children and asserting that the charges were framed in her absence.

However, Mr Maneka’s counsel countered this argument, stating that Bushra Bibi was present in the courtroom, where she marked her attendance but walked out at the time of the indictment.

In response to Judge Majoka’s inquiry about the six-year delay in filing the complaint, Mr Mane­ka’s counsel explained that Mr Maneka, “being a decent person”, tried to avoid making family matters public.

The court reserved its decision on the suspension of the sentences until June 27 (tomorrow).