ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has transferred the Bushra Bibi Nikah case, involving PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife, to a new jurisdiction, as reported by ARY News.

The case has now been moved to the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka. This transfer follows a request from Session Judge Shahrukh Arjumand, who had asked the Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court for the case to be reassigned. The request came after Khawar Manika, Bushra Bibi’s former husband, raised objections against Judge Arjumand.

The Bushra Bibi Nikah case, now under Judge Majoka, revolves around appeals against the sentencing of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi. During the last hearing on May 29, Khawar Manika’s counsel explicitly asked for the case to be transferred, stating that Manika did not trust Judge Arjumand to deliver a fair verdict.

In his letter to the High Court, Judge Arjumand mentioned that Khawar Manika had expressed a lack of confidence in his judgment during the hearing. The judge also pointed out that Manika’s plea had been previously dismissed on April 30, 2024, and accused Manika’s lawyer of delaying proceedings with various excuses.

Judge Arjumand emphasized that both sides had been given ample opportunity to present their arguments. He recommended transferring the appeals to another competent court and suggested setting a specific timeframe for resolving the case.

Khawar Manika has contested the legality of the marriage, claiming it violated Sharia law by occurring during Bushra Bibi’s iddat period following her divorce. The court eventually sentenced Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi to seven years in prison and imposed a fine of Rs 500,000 each for the alleged un-Islamic marriage.

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