PTI Denounces Transfer of Iddat Case as “Illegal”, Accusing Deliberate Delay in Justice for Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has criticized the decision to transfer the iddat case to another court, branding it as “illegal” and a deliberate ploy to obstruct justice for party founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, who are currently incarcerated.
This rebuke came through a statement issued by the PTI’s core committee after a session held on Friday to assess the progress of ongoing trials involving the former prime minister and ex-first lady, alongside other national developments.
The core committee emphasized the immediate release of Khan and Bushra Bibi, alleging a deliberate delay in their trials through adjournments and postponements.
The party expressed optimism that the alleged “false, baseless, and unfounded cases” against them would soon meet their rightful conclusion.
Regarding the iddat case, the PTI condemned the Islamabad High Court’s decision to transfer the trial as unlawful.
It’s worth noting that the district and sessions judge Shahrukh Arjumand’s request for transferring the iddat case was accepted by the IHC. Consequently, the case was assigned to additional district and sessions judge Muhammad Afzal Majuka for further proceedings.
Furthermore, the PTI voiced concerns over Bushra Bibi’s health, particularly highlighting issues surrounding her medical tests at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) and the non-disclosure of her medical reports.
Additionally, the party’s core committee expressed reservations about the appointment of retired judges in election tribunals by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), pledging to raise objections against the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and ECP members both within and outside parliament.
In today’s hearing, Judge Majuka presided over the first session of the iddat case following its transfer. Notices were issued to all concerned parties in response to Khan and Bushra’s pleas for an expedited hearing, with the next session scheduled for June 11.
The iddat case, initiated by Khawar Maneka in January, challenges the legality of Khan and Bushra Bibi’s marriage, alleging it occurred during her iddat period. In February, the trial court sentenced the couple to seven years in prison and imposed fines of Rs500,000 each, citing evidence of their pre-existing relationship before the nikah.
Commenting on the case’s potential outcome, PTI Information Secretary Raoof Hasan stressed the importance of a merit-based decision and urged against politicizing the judiciary.
