Major relief: Court acquits Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi in iddat case

ISLAMABAD: An Additional District and Sessions Court acquitted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the iddat case and ordered their immediate release.

Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka accepted Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi’s plea against their conviction in the iddat case.

Additional session judge suspended their sentences and issued mandamus to Supredientant Adiala Jail requiring the release of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi if they are not required in any other case.

Announcing the reserved verdict, the judge said that If they are not wanted in any other case, then PTI founder Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi should be released [from jail] immediately.

Earlier this year, a trial court on Bushra Bibi’s ex-husband, Khawar Maneka’s plea convicted PTI founder Khan and Bushra Bibi in an illegal nikkah case and sentenced them to seven years in prison and awarded a fine of Rs500,000 each.

Previously, Sessions Judge Shahrukh Arjumand was hearing the iddat case. However, Khawar Maneka’s request sought the rescue of Judge Shahrukh from the hearing of the appeal. IHC accepted his request and transferred the case to the court of Additional DSJ Afzal Majoka.

Relief for Imran Khan in the iddat case comes a day after the Supreme Court of Pakistan ruled that PTI deserved reserved seats in the national and provincial assemblies.

Today’s verdict clears the last existing legal hurdle keeping Imran Khan in jail. In April, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended the former Prime Minister’s and Bushra Bibi’s sentence in the Toshakhana case. Similarly, he was acquitted by the IHC in the cipher case. Imran Khan has also been acquitted in several other cases related to the May 9 events.

However, Imran Khan has been arrested again in three May 9 cases as police decided to investigate the PTI founder in jail. The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has accepted the plea to arrest Imran  Khan in May 9 cases.