Imran Khan, wife Bushra Bibi gets 7-year jail for unlawful marriage
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Islamabad: Pakistan former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Khan were sentenced to seven years in prison and fined on Saturday by a court that ruled their 2018 marriage violated the law, his party said, reports Reuters.
It was the fourth conviction adding to the troubles of the beleaguered Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) chief this week and comes ahead of national elections on Thursday that he is barred from contesting.
Both Khan and Bushra were present in the courtroom when the verdict was announced. The two were each fined 500,000 rupees ($1,800), ARY News reported.
Khan, 71, has recently been sentenced to 10 years in the cipher case and 14 years along with his wife in the Toshakhana case.
Bibi’s first husband, Khawar Maneka, had filed the case, alleging that she violated the Islamic practice of observing the mandatory pause or 'Iddat' between two marriages. Maneka also accused his ex-wife and Khan of being in an adulterous relationship before marriage, a crime punishable by death by stoning, reports Indian Express.
The Khans signed their marriage contract, called a "Nikkah", in January 2018 in a secret ceremony seven months before the charismatic former cricket superstar became Prime Minister for the first time.
There was controversy over whether they had wed before the period was complete. After initial denials of the January marriage, Imran Khan's party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), confirmed it weeks later.
The Khans both denied any wrongdoing.
Imran Khan is in prison in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, while his wife has been allowed to serve her sentence at their hilltop mansion in Islamabad. He already faces a 10-year disqualification from holding public office. It was not immediately clear if the sentences would run concurrently or sequentially.
Khan, 71, has often called Bushra his spiritual leader. She is known for her devotion to Sufism.
Khan was earlier married to Jemima Goldsmith, daughter of business tycoon James Goldsmith, and then to television journalist Reham Nayyar Khan. Both marriages ended in divorce.
