A local court in Islamabad announced a key verdict on the petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi seeking suspension of their sentences in the Iddat case. The judge rejected the plea dashing any hope of Imran Khan’s immediate release.

The PTI has said it will challenge the verdict before the high court.

Imran Khan has been behind bars since last August after being sentenced in the Toshakhana case and subsequently in other cases before the February 8 elections.

But he won bail in the 190 million pound reference and acquittal in the Toshakhana case and the cipher case. He was also granted bail in May 9 cases. His conviction in the Iddat case was the only case for the government to keep him in jail and if the judge had ruled in his favour, he could have walked out of prison on Thursday.

However, Additional Sessions Judge Afzal Majoka rejected the plea and upheld the sentences. The judge later issued a 10-page judgment.

Judge Majoka is yet to hear the full appeals against the convictions in the case. The pleas he rejected were only limited to seeking suspension of the sentences. The full appeals seek overturning of the February judgement.

Before the court announced its verdict, security was beefed up outside the Adiala jail where Imran Khan is being held.

A group of PTI activists gathered outside the court and chanted slogans demanding the release of Imran Khan.

PTI’s Omar Ayub said the party would challenge the verdict before the Islamabad High Court. He said it was a private matter of a man and wife but it was used a political weapon against a political leader.

Iddat case

The district court had sentenced the PTI founder and Bushra Bibi to 7 years imprisonment in February this year after Khwar Manika, Bushra’s former husband, filed a case.

Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi filed apeals and judge Shah Rukh Arjumand reserved the verdict May 23.

However, in light of Khwar Manika’s repeated expression of no confidence, the Islamabad High Court transferred the case to the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Mujoka on the request of Judge Arjumand.

Following the High Court’s directive to decide on the suspension of sentences within 10 days, the District and Sessions Court reserved its verdict on the petitions filed by Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi against their sentence on June 25.

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