Islamabad: A top Pakistani court on Monday, June 3,  accepted a judge's request to transfer the illegal marriage case involving former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to another court. This decision comes days after the complainant expressed a lack of confidence in the current judge hearing the case.

Khan, 71, and Bushra, 49, were sentenced to seven years in prison each on February 3 by a trial court for allegedly contracting their marriage during iddat, the mandatory waiting period in Islam for a woman after the death of her husband or divorce. The case was filed by Bushra's ex-husband, Khawar Maneka, in November 2023, seeking to declare their marriage null and void.

The appeals against this verdict were heard by Judge Shahrukh Arjumand at the Islamabad District and Sessions Court, who reserved the verdict on May 23. Judge Arjumand requested the transfer of the case to another court after the complainant objected, leading to the Islamabad High Court's decision to move the case to the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majuka.

Judge Arjumand's request came after Maneka expressed distrust in him for the second time, following a previous dismissal of a similar application. The judge highlighted that attempts were made by Maneka and his lawyer to delay the hearings and suggested setting a time frame for completing the case.

The couple's marriage in 2018, the year Khan was elected Prime Minister, attracted controversy due to Bushra's previous marital status and the timing of their marriage. Bushra, who had been Khan's spiritual guide, divorced her husband of 28 years with whom she had five children. She is Khan's third wife, and he is a former cricketing hero known for his playboy reputation during his sporting career.

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