Imran Khan, Wife Bushra Bibi Summoned Over 'Illegal' Marriage

A district and sessions court in Pakistan's Islamabad on Tuesday termed the case against the "illegal" marriage of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi as admissible.

Announcing the verdict, Civil Judge Qudratullah issued notices to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and his wife, summoning them on July 20, Geo TV reported.

The petitioner, Muhammad Hanif, alleged that Bushra Bibi was divorced by her former husband in November 2017 and married Imran Khan on January 1, 2018, while still within her iddat period, which violates the Sharia and Muslim norms.

As per the Geo TV report, Iddat is a 130-day waiting period after the dissolution of a woman's marriage through divorce, death, or any other form of separation from her husband, during which the woman remains unmarried.

Cleric Mufti Muhammad Saeed who conducted the marriage between Imran and Bushra submitted in his statements to court that Khan had married Bushra Bibi during the latter's iddat, despite knowing everything.

According to Dawn, the petition was seeking legal action against the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman for marrying his present wife while she was reportedly on Iddat.

The cricketer-turned-politician married his third wife in February 2018.