The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday ordered a district and sessions court to decide within 10 days pleas seeking the suspension of the sentences of PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the iddat case.
In its order, IHC Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb also directed the trial court to decide on the pleas challenging the conviction of the couple in the iddat case within a month.
In a petition filed before Justice Aurangzeb, Khan had sought the announcement of the district and sessions court’s reserved verdict in the iddat case and also requested the high court to hear appeals in the case. Bushra, meanwhile, had sought a decision on her plea seeking suspension of her sentence.
Earlier this year, a trial court sentenced both Khan and Bushra to seven years’ imprisonment and imposed fines of Rs. 500,000 each for solemnizing their marriage before her iddat period had expired after her divorce from her ex-husband, Khawar Maneka. Both have since filed separate appeals against their convictions and for the suspension of their sentences.
The appeal challenging the conviction had neared conclusion, with Judge Shahrukh Arjumand reserving a verdict last month. However, before he could announce it, Maneka once against raised no-confidence in the judge, resulting in him requesting the IHC to transfer the case to another judge. Subsequently, the case was transferred to the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majuka.
Following the IHC verdict, Judge Majuka said he would decide on the suspension of sentence before Eidul Azha, due on June 17.