On Thursday, the verdict was reserved in the petitions challenging the un-Islamic nikah case involving Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi. The decision, reserved by Judge Shahrukh Arjumand of the district and sessions court in Islamabad, will be announced on May 29.
The court reserved its decision after hearing arguments from both sides. Salman Akram Raja represented Khan, while Bushra Bibi was defended by Usman Gul, and prosecutor Adnan Ali was also present. The assistant counsel for the complainant mentioned that Rizwan Abbasi, the lawyer for Khawar Maneka—Bushra Bibi’s former husband—needed to present his arguments, as the necessary records were not available.
Judge Arjumand instructed Bushra Bibi's lawyer to present final arguments and requested Abbasi to present his arguments via video link.
Last month, a local court in Islamabad rejected Maneka's no-confidence motion regarding the appeals against the conviction in the iddat case. Maneka had expressed a lack of confidence in the judge and requested the case be transferred to another court. Judge Arjumand questioned Maneka on his belief that the judge sympathized with the other party, to which Maneka replied that his entire family expected the judge to acquit the accused.
Khan’s lawyer argued that seeking to transfer the case amounted to contempt of court, noting that Justice Babar Sattar had fined the no-confidence motion. Following a heated exchange between Maneka and Raja, Judge Arjumand ultimately rejected Maneka’s no-trust plea.
