Legal Victory for Imran Khan and Wife in Unlawful Marriage Case

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan and his wife have been acquitted in a case that accused them of unlawful marriage, marking a significant legal victory for the ousted leader.

Despite the favorable verdict, Imran Khan is not expected to be released from prison immediately, as new charges loom over him. Recent indications suggest that he may face additional legal challenges following his acquittal.

Earlier this week, Imran Khan’s hopes for bail were dashed in a separate case involving allegations of inciting violent riots and orchestrating attacks on military installations in May last year.

Prior to the parliamentary elections on February 8, Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were handed down consecutive convictions. In the case dubbed as the ‘illegal marriage case’, both were sentenced to seven years in prison for violating Islamic law by not adhering to the required waiting period between Bushra Bibi’s divorce and her marriage to Imran Khan.

Their initial conviction sparked outrage among human rights and women’s advocacy groups, who condemned the ruling as regressive and reinforcing male dominance in marital relationships within Pakistan.

On Saturday, Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka of the Islamabad Additional District and Sessions Court announced that the appeals of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi had been upheld. The judge ordered their release, pending the absence of any other pending cases against the couple.

The legal proceedings surrounding the unlawful marriage case were riddled with delays, controversies, and even physical altercations between Imran Khan’s legal team and Khawar Maneka, Bushra Bibi’s first husband.