ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – A Pakistani court on Wednesday postponed ruling on an appeal by former prime minister Imran Khan and his third wife after they were found guilty of illegal marriage, their lawyers said.
Khan and his wife Bushra Khan, A.K.A. Bushra BibiHe was sentenced to seven years in prison just before the February 8 general elections after allegedly violating Islamic law by not waiting a required period of time after Bibi’s divorce.
Lawyer Naeem Panjuta said the delay was due to the judge’s withdrawal after being accused of bias by Bibi’s ex-husband Kawal Maneka.
The case is one of four convictions against Khan, three of which were handed down just before the election. The 71-year-old former cricketer and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party claim the cases were a politically motivated attempt to block his return to power. Khan has been in jail since August.
An Islamabad court had said last week it would announce its verdict on Wednesday, but Sub-Judge Shah Rukh Arjumand instead asked the Islamabad High Court to “transfer the appeal to another court,” according to a copy of the letter shared by Khan’s media team and lawyers.
The letter said Maneka had “distrusted” Arjumand and it would not be appropriate for him to announce the decision.
It was not immediately clear whether the higher court would transfer the case or hear it anew.
The candidate backed by Khan’s party won the most seats in February elections but fell short of a majority, and his rival, Shehbaz Sharif, formed a government with the support of allied parties.
(Reporting by Gibran Peshimam and Asif Shazad; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
