Iddat case: Maneka’s counsel directed to attend hearing via video link or submit written arguments

ISLAMABAD: A local court on Wednesday directed the counsel of Khawar Maneka, the complainant in the Iddat case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan and his wife, to appear via video link or submit written arguments before it during the next hearing to be held on May 23.

District and Sessions judge Shahrukh Arjumand, following the completion of Khan’s counsel Salman Akram Raja’s rebuttal over appeals filed by Khan and his wife against the verdict in the “Iddat” case, asked Maneka’s counsel Rizwan Abbasi since he has gone abroad he should to appear via video link or submit written arguments before it.

The court directed Abbasi’s associate to contact his lead counsel and inform him about his appearance via video link. I will write in the order that either appear via video link or submit written arguments, the judge remarked. The judge ordered to send the copyof order sheet to Abbasi through WhatsApp.

PTI leaders, Azam Swati and Faisal Javed attended court proceedings.

At the start of the hearing, Rizwan Abbasi’s associate informed the court that his lead counsel was going abroad.

To this, Khan’s counsel told the court that Abbasi had almost completed his arguments.

Raja, at the start of his rebuttal, cited the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case. The apex court issued judgment keeping in view the dignity and privacy of women, he said, adding that the statement made by Maneka is not direct evidence.

Following the request of Khan’s lawyer, the video statement of Mufti Muhammad Saeed in which he stated woman’s testimony to her Iddat was final was played in front of the court.

Raja told the court that Mufti Saeed retracted from his statement before the trial court.

The apex court has given the decision of 39 days regarding Iddat, he said, adding that Awn Chaudhry told the court that he was the witness of Nikkah of Khan and his wife while Mufti Saeed stated before the court he did not remember the names of witnesses.

He further said that Maneka during a TV interview had cleared both Khan and his former wife. However, Maneka was arrested and cases have been made against him, he said, adding that on November 14, 2023, Manekawas released and then he filed the complaint.

Khan’s counsel said that Maneka in his TV interview stated that Bushra Bibi is a veiled woman and the PTI founder is also a very pious person.

Raja further said that after the passage of five years and 11 months, Maneka wanted to reconcile [Ruju] with his ex-wife.

He said that only the apex court can change the judgment it made regarding Iddat. A lack of knowledge about witnesses, and the video played in the court is enough to prove Mufti Saeed is “a liar”, he said, adding that according to sub-section 3 of Section 7 of the Family Law, after divorce, if the man dies before the period of Iddat, the woman will be called a widow. He said that neither Section 7 of family law nor 90 days duration applied to his client.

At the end of his rebuttal, Raja requested the court to askAbbasi to attend the next hearing via video link.

The associate of Abbasi told the court that Abbasi’s family was living in Denmark and he had informed the court on May 14.

The judge asked Abbasi’s associate, to contact his lead counsel to attend the court via video link in the next two days and the court cannot wait till May 28.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024