Imran Khan’s lawyer Salman Akram Raja has told an Islamabad court that the PTI founder and Bushra Bibi contracted their nikah 48 days after Khawar Maneka divorced her.

District and Sessions Court Judge Shahrukh Arjumand heard a set of appeals by Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi against their sentences. They were each sentenced to seven years in prison for marrying before the end of Bushra Bibi’s iddah — usually a four lunar months-and-ten-days or 125 day period after the divorce.

As the court met, Khawar Maneka’s counsel Rizwan Abbasi failed to show up in the court, Raja showed his mobile phone to the judge showing an image of Rizwan Abbasi sitting in the courtroom next room. He said Abbasi was not willing to appear before the court.

The judge decided to proceed with the hearing without Abbasi and Khawar Maneka in the audience and allowed Raja to present his arguments.

Salman Akram Raja told the court Khawar Maneka had confirmed in the court that he divorced Bushra Bibi on November 14, 2017, and by January 1, 2018, at least 48 days had already passed.

Raja said Bushra and Imran Khan contracted nikah 48 days after the divorce.

He said Imran Khan had never denied the nikah.

The PTI counsel said Imran Khan had already told the trial court that a ceremony was held in February after he had informed his sons about the nikah and that it was a mere wedding blessing ceremony. It was not a nikah ceremony, according to Raja.

Raja referred to the Supreme Court verdict in the Rashida Akhtar case and said the court would have to adopt the verdict.

Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 7 years in prison each for marrying before the end of her iddah in February 2024.

The district and sessions court later adjourned for April 9.