RAWALPINDI, FEB 3: The trial court has handed seven-year sentences, each, to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the “nikah” case at the Adiala jail today.

The verdict was pronounced by Senior Civil Judge Qudratullah today, a day after the hearing of the case was conducted inside the jail premises for 14 hours a day earlier.

The judge issued the court’s verdict in the case pertaining to the plea filed by Bushra Bibi’s ex-husband Khawar Maneka against what he refers to as an nikah with the former prime minister.

So far, cross-examination of the statements given by the four witnesses in the case has been completed. The statements of Khan and Bushra under section 342 have also been recorded.

Bushra Bibi, who has been placed at the Banigala following its status declared as a sub jail, will be brought to Adiala for the final hearing. The verdict will be announced in the presence of the PTI founder, Bushra Bibi and their lawyers.

The complainant’s counsel Raja Rizwan Abbasi, Khan’s lawyer Salman Akram Raja and Bushra Bibi’s lawyer Usman Gul also gave their final arguments a day earlier.

Nikah during iddat

Maneka, in his petition, had termed Bushra and Khan’s nikkah “fraudulent” contending that the marriage was solemnised during her iddat — following her divorce with him.

“That above said nikah and the marriage ceremony was neither legal nor Islamic as it was solemnised without observing iddah period,” read the petition available with Geo.tv.

He also accused the former prime minister of ruining his entire life with the petition stating that the PTI top leader “stigmatised the complainant and his family just to achieve his unethical and immoral objects through intrusion in the complainant’s peaceful marital life”.

“In light of the above, it is humbly prayed that respondents No.1 [Imran Khan] and 2 [Bushra Bibi] be summoned and punished strictly in accordance with law in the interest of justice,” Maneka prayed to the court.