After months of their continuing legal woes, former Pakistan captain and legendary all-rounder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi's got much relief as a district and sessions court on Saturday accepted their pleas seeking annulment of their conviction in the iddat case — also known as the un-Islamic nikah case.
Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka announced short order reserved earlier in the day today.
Imran and Bushra were sentenced to seven years in prison and awarded a fine of Rs500,000 each in February, earlier this year, after a trial court found their nikah to be fraudulent as Khawar Maneka, Bushra's ex-husband, moved the court against the couple's marriage.
The couple had then challenged their conviction and had even moved the IHC seeking varying relief from the court.
The court, in its verdict, has said that Khan and his wife should be immediately released if they are not wanted in any other case.
"Both the petitions seeking the formation of a medical board and consultations with the religious scholars are hereby rejected," the verdict stated.
The court has also issued release orders for the incarcerated couple.
The verdict holds significance for Khan who has been behind bars since August last year after he was sentenced in the Toshakhana case and subsequently sentenced in other cases ahead of the February 8 elections.
Imran played 88 Tests and 175 ODIs for Pakistan over the course of his illustrious career.
His averages, 37 with the bat and 22 with the ball, kept him at the top of the quartet of star all-rounders, Ian Botham, Richard Hadlee and Kapil Dev being the others, who impressed one and all in Test cricket in the 1980s.
During Imran's last 10 years of international cricket, he featured in 51 Tests, averaging a remarkable 50 with the bat and 19 with the ball.
Imran also led Pakistan to their first series victory in England in 1987 but the best moment of his career came when the Men in Green clinched the 1992 World Cup trophy under his inspirational leadership.
