Former Captain of Pakistan Imran Khan Faces 7-Year Prison Sentence in Unlawful Marriage Case

Former Captain of  Pakistan Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced to seven years imprisonment each on Saturday in the ‘un-Islamic’ marriage case. The court also imposed a fine of Rs0.5 million on the ex-captain and his wife.

This marks the third sentencing for Imran Khan over the last five days. Earlier this week, he was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in the cypher case and 14 years imprisonment in the Toshakhana case.

The verdict in the ‘un-Islamic’ marriage case was reserved by the court last night after a lengthy 14-hour hearing concluded on Friday night. The hearing was conducted within the premises of Adiala jail in Rawalpindi and was presided over by Islamabad’s Senior Civil Judge Qudratullah.

The case, filed by Bushra Bibi’s first husband, Khawar Maneka, alleges that Bushra violated the Islamic practice of observing the mandatory pause, or Iddat, between two marriages. Furthermore, Maneka accused his ex-wife and Khan of having an adulterous relationship before their marriage.

During the hearing on February 1, Maneka made serious accusations against Imran, claiming the illicit relationship began during the 2014 sit-in and accusing the PTI founder of ruining his family. Imran challenged Maneka to take an oath on the Holy Quran.

Bushra Bibi, speaking for the first time in Adiala Jail, portrayed herself as a victim of a plot to humiliate her. She vowed not to succumb to pressure, labeled the accusations as an attempt to weaken Imran and the PTI, and emphasized her determination to stand firm.

Addressing the media after the announcement of the verdict, PTI chairman Barrister Gauhar Khan declared the trial a shameful one considering the very private nature of the allegations. He said the party will approach the high court against the judgment in the case. The PTI chairman maintained that none of the recent verdicts against Imran will hold up in front of tribunals. He added that the judiciary was being used for political purposes.

Addressing party supporters through the media, Gauhar said that Pakistan Imran Khan has again urged his supporters to remain calm and peaceful. He quoted the PTI founder as saying,

“I will not make any deal, even if I have to stay in prison for a thousand years. Show your support on February 8 and come out and vote.”