IHC bars trial court from recording witness statements in illegal Nikah case

The Islamabad High Court has stopped the trial court from recording the statements of the witnesses in the illegal Nikah case against former premier and PTI founder Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi and prevented it from conducting the case hearing till January 25, reported 4NewsHD TV channel.

The court also issued notice to Bushra Bibi’s ex-husband Khawar Manika on the application.

Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Aamer Farooq on Friday heard the petition filed by PTI founder against a case of his and Bushra Bibi’s Nikah in Iddat, in which the former First Couple’s lawyer Salman Akram Raja appeared in the court.

Salman Akram Raja said in the court that the entire District Judiciary is present in Adiala Jail today to record the statements of the witnesses.

The court said that it would stop the recording of the statements of the witnesses, ‘but first, let us know what the case is’.

The court asked how long is the duration of Iddat in general.

The lawyer said that if their (opposing parties’) statement is to be accepted, the marriage took place after 48 days of divorce, generally there is a period of 90 days, but Taqi Usmani Sahib has explained it. The Supreme Court decision regarding the period of Iddat is also there.

On this, Justice Aamer Farooq said that suppose there is no decision of the Supreme Court in this regard, what thing he has challenged in his petition? Salman Akram Raja said that we have challenged the ongoing summons to the PTI founder and Bushra Bibi.

The court said that according to the law, if a marriage takes place during Iddat, it would be regularized later, if the marriage is not regular, then what is the crime in it?

Later, the court restrained the trial court from recording the statements of the witnesses in the illegal Nikah case and stopped the trial court’s proceedings till January 25.

Reporter Ehtisham Kiyani