ISLAMABAD: The District and Sessions Court on Thursday rejected the petitions of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and his Bushra Bibi for suspension of their sentences in the marriage case.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka announced the verdict which he had reserved on June 25.
The court, in its 10-page written order, observed that the accused had not provided any valid reason to justify their plea for the suspension of sentence. Bushra Bibi’s status as a woman also did not justify suspension of the sentence or her release on bail.
heard the case.
It may be added that on February 3, 2024, Senior Civil Judge Qudratullah had convicted the PTI founder and his wife in the marriage case with seven years jail term.
Bushra Bibi’s ex-husband Khawar Manika filed the case against their marriage.
The PTI founder and his wife’s appeals against their conviction were filed on February 23, 2024, in the court of Sessions Judge Shah Rukh Arjumand. On May 23, Judge Arjumand reserved
the verdict on the appeals. On May 29, Khawar Manika expressed no confidence in the court, leading Judge Arjumand to request the Islamabad High Court to transfer the appeals to another court.
On June 3, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) transferred the appeals to Additional Sessions Judge Afzal Majoka.
On June 13, IHC’s Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb ordered the sessions court to decide the petitions seeking suspension of the sentence within 10 days and the main appeals within a month.