Salman Akram Raja terms statements of Mufti Saeed, Khawar Maneka pack of lies.

ISLAMABAD   -   Sessions Judge (East) Islamabad Shahrukh Arjumand on Wednesday ordered that if Raja Rizwan Abbasi, attorney of Khawar Maneka could not appear via video link on May 23 from abroad, he must submit written final arguments in the court.

The order also said that no further adjournment will be granted and in case of failure to follow the court directions, the nikah in Iddat case will be fixed for orders. Judge Shahrukh Arjumand conducted hearing of appeal against conviction of former PM Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi. Barrister Salman Akram Raja, the lawyer of Imran Khan, gave his his final arguments. The Nation reported on Wednesday that Raja Rizwan Abbasi will be flying abroad on two weeks trip and won’t be able to join the proceedings. When the hearing started, associate of Raja Rizwan Abbasi, Fawad Haider submitted an application of adjournment on the pretext that Abbasi was on general adjournment from 15 May to 28th May for being abroad.

The court ordered that in the general adjournment granted by the administration judge, Islamabad High Court, it had been specifically mentioned that the general adjournment was not valid concerning cases pending in subordinate courts. Abbasi also didn’t take general adjournment from this court as well, therefore this application cannot be entertained, stated the order.

Earlier during hearing in his final arguments Salman Akram Raja submitted in court that in the Allah Dad case judgment in the Supreme Court, Iddat period had been declared as 39 days. The onus of proof lies on the complainant. Maneka had only given one statement that Bushra Bibi’s menstrual cycle in 28 years of marriage was normal, his one-line statement could not override the Supreme Court judgment. He further argued that the daughters of Khawar Maneka had accepted in a video that the father filed a false case because of some pressure. Khawar Maneka also said in an interview that his ex-wife was the most pious woman he had seen in his life and Imran Khan visited her for spiritual guidance. Maneka filed an application on 25th November, 2023 after 11 days he was released from the custody of Anti Corruption Establishment.

“About Mufti Saeed,” Raja said, “words of Mufti don’t come out of my mouth because that man has also lied in court.” He had said in a sermon previously that a woman’s statement would be final about her Iddat period but during cross-examination he changed that statement. The video clip was played on the court. Raja further argued that Justice Khosa in a judgment had stated that, where a witness lies in one aspect all of his testimony becomes highly suspected.

Mufti Saeed also said that fraud was committed with him by not telling him the Iddat period but why was oral second Nikah done in mid-February according to him? if he realized that first Nikah was not legal then why did he stick with the party as a member of the core committee for the next 6 months, Raja declared statements of Mufti Saeed and Khawar Maneka as a pack of lies.

At the end of the hearing, Usman Gill, lawyer of Bushra Bibi, requested the court to suspend the conviction.