Iddat case: Protective decision not delivered, case transfer requested

Islamabad: The District and Sessions Court Islamabad judge Shahrukh Arjumand Wednesday left without delivering a reserved verdict on the appeals against the conviction in the illegal marriage case of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.

The hearing on the appeals filed against the sentence in the marriage case was held in the court of Sessions Judge Shahrukh Arjumand.

When the hearing of the case started, Judge Arjumand questioned whether the public prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi had come or not. On which the assistant lawyer said that he is in the Supreme Court, give some time.

Sessions Judge Shahrukh remarked that Rizwan Abbasi should have come at 9 o'clock, to which the assistant counsel said that Rizwan wanted to give arguments but he had to go to the Supreme Court.

The court asked how long will he take to come? And then the judge directed them to appear by 10:30am. Rizwan Abbasi did not reach the court even at the appointed time, then Sessions Judge said consult with him and ask what does he want.

Khawar Manika's assistant counsel spoke to the session judge and asked to transfer the case to another court, on which the judge remarked that the no-confidence motion has already been dismissed, talk to your lawyer.

Speaking to the session judge, Manika said, “I don't want you to decide this case”. The judge asked for the reason that no-confidence is expressed again and again. Tell any solid reason. Some judge has to decide the case.

When there was noise in the courtroom, Judge Shahrukh got up and went to the chamber without pronouncing the verdict of the case.

Later, he wrote a letter to the Registrar Islamabad High Court (IHC) that the appeals of Bushra Bibi and Imran Khan were scheduled for hearing, however, Khawar has expressed no confidence in him and this appeal was dismissed earlier.

Judge Shahrukh wrote in the letter that it would not be right to pass judgment on Khawar Manika's no-confidence appeals. There is a request to transfer the appeals to another court. Manika and his lawyers always tried to disrupt the hearing.