In Islamabad, a district and sessions court recently declined requests from former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to suspend their seven-year sentences in the Iddat Case, as reported by Dawn.
The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Afzal Majoka, announced the verdict after it had been reserved earlier in the week. This decision has sparked criticism from lawyers, women activists, and civil society members, who view it as a blow to women’s rights regarding dignity and privacy.
The case revolves around Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi’s marriage during her Iddat period, a waiting period after divorce or widowhood during which a woman cannot remarry. The court’s decision, coming before the general elections in February, sentenced the couple to seven years in prison each and fined them PKR 500,000 each.
Protests erupted in Islamabad, and demonstrators in Karachi voiced opposition against what they perceive as state interference in personal lives. The Islamabad High Court has directed the sessions court to rule on Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi’s pleas within ten days.
