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Pakistan court reserves verdict on pleas against ruling Imran Khan, wife violated marriage law

Pakistan's former Prime Minister, Imran Khan (R) along with his wife Bushra Bibi (L) looks on as he signs surety bonds for bail in various cases, at a registrar office in the High court, in Lahore on July 17, 2023. (AFP/File)
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Updated 23 May 2024
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Pakistan court reserves verdict on pleas against ruling Imran Khan, wife violated marriage law

  • Khan, wife Bushra sentenced to seven years in prison in February by court that ruled their 2018 marriage illegal 
  • Bushra is currently serving out two prison sentences at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail where Khan is also incarcerated
Updated 23 May 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Thursday reserved its verdict on appeals challenging seven-year jail sentences each for former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Khan for violating the country’s marriage law. 

Khan and his wife were sentenced to seven years in prison and fined in February by a court that ruled their 2018 marriage broke the law. Bushra was accused of not completing the waiting period mandated by Islam, called “Iddat,” after divorcing her previous husband and marrying Khan.

The Khans signed their marriage contract, or “Nikkah,” in January 2018 in a secret ceremony seven months before the former cricket superstar became prime minister for the first time. There was controversy over whether they had wed before the Iddat period was complete. After initial denials of the marriage, Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf confirmed it weeks later.

The Khans both deny wrongdoing.

“The court will announce the judgment on May 29 (Wednesday),” Pakistan’s Express Tribune newspaper reported. Other Pakistani media also widely reported that the judgment would be announced next week. 

Bushra is currently serving out two prison sentences at Adiala Jail where Khan is also incarcerated. In January, both were sentenced to 14 years in prison in a case that relates to accusations they undervalued gifts from a state repository and gained profits from selling them while Khan was prime minister from 2018-22. 

CASES

Khan was first jailed after being handed a three-year prison sentence in August 2023 by the Election Commission for not declaring assets earned from selling gifts worth more than 140 million rupees ($501,000) in state possession and received during his premiership. In January, Khan and Bushra were handed 14-year jail terms following a separate investigation by the country’s top anti-graft body, or NAB, into the same charges involving state gifts. 

An anti-graft court in Islamabad also handed Khan a 10-year jail term in January for revealing state secrets, a week before national elections on Feb. 8. The ruling on his marriage to Bushra and a seven-year sentence each for both also came ahead of the polls.

Khan has also been indicted under Pakistan’s anti-terrorism law in connection with violence against the military that erupted following his brief arrest related to a land graft case on May 9. A section of Pakistan’s 1997 anti-terrorism act prescribes the death penalty as maximum punishment. Khan has denied the charges under the anti-terrorism law, saying he was in detention when the violence took place. 

Khan’s convictions, which mean he is banned from holding public office, ruled the 71-year-old out of the February general elections. Arguably Pakistan’s most popular politician, Khan says all cases against him are motivated to keep him out of politics.

SPIRITUAL LEADER

Bushra’s ex-husband, Khawar Maneka, to whom she was married for about 30 years, brought a criminal complaint against the Khans. 

Khan has often called Bushra his spiritual leader. She is known for her devotion to Sufism, a mystical form of Islam.

Born Bushra Riaz Watto, she changed her name to Khan after her marriage. Her husband and followers commonly refer to her as Bushra Bibi or Bushra Begum, titles that denote respect in Urdu.

Khan’s two previous marriages — to Jemima Goldsmith, daughter of tycoon James Goldsmith, and television journalist Reham Nayyar Khan — ended in divorce.

Topics: Pakistan Imran Khan Bushra Bibi Marriage law case

Jumbo task: 400 pills a day for elephants with TB in Pakistan

Updated 9 sec ago
AFP
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Jumbo task: 400 pills a day for elephants with TB in Pakistan

  • Vets hide medicines inside food ranging from apples, bananas and Pakistani sweets
  • Sisters Madhubala and Malika were diagnosed with tuberculosis earlier this month 
Updated 9 sec ago
AFP

KARACHI: A team of doctors and vets in Pakistan has developed a novel treatment for a pair of elephants suffering from tuberculosis that involves feeding them at least 400 pills a day. 

The jumbo effort by staff at the Karachi Safari Park involves cunningly administering the tablets, the same as those used to treat TB in humans, hidden inside food ranging from apples and bananas to Pakistani sweets. 

Dr. Buddhika Bandara, a Sri Lankan veterinary surgeon who is treating elephants Madhubala and Malika, said they did not have a “rare disease” as tuberculosis was common in elephants in Asia.

“Giving treatment of TB to elephants is always challenging whenever, whatever and wherever, is always challenging not only in our country Sri Lanka, or in Pakistan, it is challenging everywhere actually,” the vet said.

“Every day we have to think about new methods of giving medicine.”

Bandara said the elephants showed some stress when the treatment was first started but gradually adapted to the procedure and were now getting better.

Under the treatment plan, the elephants will receive medication and monitoring for ten months after the initial phase. They are being kept under round-the-clock supervision, and park officials have restricted access to the enclosure for one year to minimize stress and prevent any risk of disease transmission.

Ali Baloch, a 22-year-old mahout, said though he looked after the elephants, he was unaware that they had TB. 

“The team is saying now that they have the disease. That’s why we must wear mask, and boots, do not go without them. It can infect me and my children as well.”

The two elephants Malika and Madhubala took their medication differently, he added. 

“Malika takes medicine by her trunk while Madhubala can take it directly by her mouth,” Baloch said. “They eat in this way. Malaika smells medicine so she takes by its trunk. To change the taste, we give medicine in sweet potatoes, bananas and other sweet items.”

The novel methods had to be used to ensure the elephants did not reject the treatment.

“They will not eat these [pills] so easily, they are bitter in taste.”

Visitors to the Safari Park are currently only allowed to view the elephants from designated buses or a safe distance, as part of efforts to ensure a stress-free environment during their recovery.

The cautious approach follows years of concern raised by international animal welfare organizations over the treatment of elephants in Karachi.

In 2021, the global group Four Paws assessed the city’s elephants and called for urgent medical care, improved nutrition and enriched environments to support their wellbeing.

The issue gained further attention after the deaths of two elephants — Noor Jehan in 2023 at the Karachi Zoo and Sonu in late 2024 at the Safari Park — both of which highlighted systemic gaps in animal care.

Since then, local authorities have taken steps to improve conditions, including the formation of a technical committee and increased collaboration with foreign veterinary experts.

Madhubala, Noor Jehan, Malika and Sonu were caught in the wild at a young age and brought to Pakistan together in 2009 but were soon separated, with Noor Jehan and Madhubala moved to the Karachi Zoo and Malika and Sonu to the city’s Safari Park. 

Noor Jehan died in April 2023 at age 17, following a prolonged illness caused by neglect, leaving Madhubala alone.

In November last year, she was reunited with Malika and Sonu at the Safari Park. Sonu has since also passed away due to illness. 

Topics: elephants tuberculosis

A look at recent deadly attacks in Pakistan as it battles rising militancy

Updated 16 min 28 sec ago
Reuters
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A look at recent deadly attacks in Pakistan as it battles rising militancy

  • Government facing insurgencies in northwest and growing separatist insurgency in southwest
  • Pakistan is also currently at loggerheads with both its neighbors India and Afghanistan 
Updated 16 min 28 sec ago
Reuters

Following are some recent deadly attacks in Pakistan, where the government is facing insurgencies on two fronts — militant attacks in the northwest and a growing separatist insurgency in the south.

MAY 21, 2025 
At least three children were among five people killed when a suicide bomber targeted an army school bus in the restive Pakistani southwestern province of Balochistan, in an attack the military blamed on Indian proxies.
The Indian government did not respond to a request for comment on the accusation.

MARCH 11, 2025
A total of 31 people, including soldiers, staff, and civilians, were killed by militants who hijacked a train as it traveled through a remote mountain pass in Balochistan. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), the biggest of several ethnic armed groups fighting the government, claimed responsibility.

MARCH 4, 2025
Suicide bombers drove two vehicles packed with explosives into a military base in the town of Bannu in the northwest, killing 18 people, including six children.
No group claimed responsibility for the violence.

NOVEMBER 1, 2024 
A blast targeting a police van in Mastung town in Balochistan killed seven people, including five school students, and injured 23 others.
No group claimed responsibility.

AUGUST 26, 2024 
At least 38 civilians and 14 soldiers were killed as separatist militants attacked police stations, railway lines and highways in Balochistan, and security forces launched retaliatory operations.
The BLA claimed responsibility for the attacks, the most widespread in the country in years.

DECEMBER 12, 2023 
At least 57 people, including seven children, died as suicide bombings ripped through two mosques in Mastung while believers marked the birthday of the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh).
No group claimed responsibility.

JULY 31, 2023 
A suicide bombing targeting a hard-line religious group’s political rally in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province’s Bajaur region killed 56 people. The Daesh militant group claimed responsibility for the blast, which took place in northwestern Pakistan.

Topics: militancy in Pakistan Militancy terror attacks

Pakistan approves authority to regulate, accelerate growth of virtual assets economy

Updated 42 min 32 sec ago
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Pakistan approves authority to regulate, accelerate growth of virtual assets economy

  • Pakistan set up national crypto council in March to create legal framework for cryptocurrency trading, luring foreign investment 
  • Last month, government introduced first policy framework to set rules for how digital money, service providers should operate in Pakistan
Updated 42 min 32 sec ago
Ismail Dilawar

KARACHI: The government has approved setting up the Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA) to regulate blockchain-based financial infrastructure, the finance ministry said on Wednesday, as the country moves to adopt a strategy to regulate and accelerate the growth of its virtual assets economy.

Pakistan set up a national crypto council (PCC) in March to create a legal framework for cryptocurrency trading in a bid to lure international investment. One of the world’s most powerful people in crypto, co-founder and former CEO of Binance Changpeng Zhao, was subsequently appointed as a strategic adviser to the PCC. 

Cryptocurrencies including bitcoin are not officially regulated in Pakistan but are also not illegal or banned. As of Jan. 16, 2021, the State Bank of Pakistan has not authorized any individuals or organizations to carry out the sale, purchase, exchange, and investment of virtual currencies, coins, and tokens.

Last month, Pakistan introduced its first-ever policy framework, created by a special government group under the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter Terrorism Financing (CTF) authority, to set rules for how digital money like cryptocurrencies and the companies that deal in it should operate in Pakistan. The policy has been formulated to align with compliance and financial integrity guidelines of the global Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

“The aim is to ensure FATF-compliant innovation, economic inclusion, and responsible adoption of digital assets,” the finance ministry said, announcing the approval of the Pakistan Digital Assets Authority.

Pakistan is experiencing a surge in the adoption of digital assets, driven by a growing tech-savvy population and increasing government support for blockchain technology.

“Pakistan must regulate not just to catch up but to lead. With the PDAA, we are creating a future-ready framework that protects consumers, invites global investment, and puts Pakistan at the forefront of financial innovation,” the finance ministry statement said, quoting finance minister, Muhammad Aurangzeb, who is also the chairman of the Pakistan Crypto Council. 

The PDAA will serve as a specialized regulatory body with a mandate to oversee licensing, compliance, and innovation within the digital asset ecosystem. It will regulate exchanges, custodians, wallets, tokenized platforms, stablecoins, and DeFi applications, all under a single framework.

“This strategic decision aligns Pakistan with other forward-thinking economies such as the UAE, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong, all of which have established digital asset regulators to foster innovation while ensuring compliance with global financial norms,” the finance ministry said.

The PDAA is expected to regulate an over $25 billion informal crypto market, enable tokenization of national assets and government debt, provide legal clarity to global and local investors, facilitate monetization of Pakistan’s surplus electricity through regulated bitcoin mining and empower young people and startups to build blockchain-based solutions at scale.

“This is not just about crypto,” Bin Saqib, CEO of Pakistan Crypto Council, said. 

“It’s about rewriting our financial future, expanding access, and creating new export channels through tokenization, digital finance, and Web3 innovation.”

According to Statista, a German online platform that specializes in data gathering and visualization, the projected revenue in the digital assets market in Pakistan is estimated to reach $1.6 billion by 2025 while the number of users is expected to reach 27.10 million users.
 

Topics: Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA) Crypto asset

Pakistan drop stars Shaheen, Azam and Rizwan for Bangladesh T20s

Updated 21 May 2025
AFP
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Pakistan drop stars Shaheen, Azam and Rizwan for Bangladesh T20s

  • Batsmen Azam and Rizwan were omitted for the second consecutive T20 series after being criticized for slow scoring
  • Salman Ali Agha will captain Pakistan as they look to next year’s Twenty20 World Cup hosted by India and Sri Lanka
Updated 21 May 2025
AFP

KARACHI: Pakistan dropped stars Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan on Wednesday as they named a new-look squad for three home Twenty20 internationals against Bangladesh.

Former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson will take charge for the first time after being appointed last week, replacing Aaqib Javed.

Salman Ali Agha will captain Pakistan as they look toward next year’s Twenty20 World Cup, to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

Fast bowler Shaheen had played in Pakistan’s last T20 series in New Zealand in March, but batsmen Azam and Rizwan were omitted for the second consecutive T20 series after being criticized for slow scoring.

“The squad has been selected based on players’ performances in the ongoing Pakistan Super League, which concludes on May 25,” the Pakistan Cricket Board said in a statement.

Shaheen has taken 12 wickets for Lahore Qalandars in 10 PSL matches at an economy rate of 8.20.

Opener Sahibzada Farhan earned a recall after topping the PSL batting charts with 394 runs.

Batsmen Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman return after missing the New Zealand tour with injuries.

Fast bowler Hasan Ali is back after being sidelined with multiple injuries since May last year.

The PCB said that the series match schedule, which has been affected by a 10-day delay to the PSL caused by the deadly India-Pakistan conflict, will be announced soon with all three matches to be held in Lahore.

Pakistan squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Wasim, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub.

Topics: Babar Azam Mohammad Rizwan shaheen afridi Bangladesh

Pakistani delegation prepares to visit world capitals in diplomatic push following India standoff

Updated 21 May 2025
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Pakistani delegation prepares to visit world capitals in diplomatic push following India standoff

  • Head of delegation Bilawal Bhutto Zardari says contentious issues like disputed Kashmir, terrorism, water should be resolved 
  • Pakistan Peoples Party chairman laments India “weaponizing” water, calls it “both unfortunate and extremely dangerous”
Updated 21 May 2025
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: A high-level delegation set up by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to present Pakistan’s position and advocate for the country in world capitals following a recent military conflict with India is receiving briefings from top foreign office officials and would carry a “message of truth and peace,” the head of the team said on Wednesday.

Sharif announced the diplomatic group last week and said it would be headed by Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who is a former foreign minister.

Speaking to media on Wednesday, Bhutto Zardari said his team had received a briefing from the ministry of foreign affairs on the recent standoff with India and a ceasefire brokered by the US, as well as on contention issues like the Kashmir dispute, terrorism, and India’s unilateral move to suspend the Indus Water Treaty. 

“We are very thankful to the Foreign Secretary and the entire team here for briefing us. We hope that when we go forward with Pakistan’s message, a message of truth and peace, people will be willing to listen,” Bhutto Zardari said. 

“We have always aimed to ensure that not only between India and Pakistan, but also throughout the entire region, flashpoints, whether it is the long-standing issue of Kashmir or terrorism, are addressed.”

As a victim of terrorism itself, Pakistan was “committed to seeing it dealt with and eliminated,” Bhutto Zardari said. 

Tensions between nuclear-armed neighbors Pakistan and India are high after they struck a ceasefire on May 10 following the most intense military confrontation in decades.

Both countries accuse the other of supporting militancy on each other’s soil — a charge both capitals deny. 

The latest military escalation, in which the two countries traded missile, drones and artillery fire, was sparked after India accused Pakistan of supporting militants who attacked dozens of tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22, killing 26. Islamabad denies involvement.

“We have just witnessed how, after a terrorist incident, two nuclear countries were on the warpath. This makes it even more important for us to address the issue of terrorism,” Bhutto Zardari said.

“We should not only talk about it but also work toward finding a solution. Our goal should be to rid this region of terrorism. And if, God forbid, such a problem arises in the future, there should never be a situation where two nuclear-armed countries are pushed toward war.”

After the tourist attack, Delhi “put in abeyance” its participation in the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, which governs usage of the Indus river system. The accord has not been revived despite the rivals agreeing on a ceasefire last week following the conflict.

Islamabad said after India suspended the treaty that it considered “any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan” to be an “act of war.”

About 80 percent of Pakistani farms depend on the Indus system, as do nearly all hydropower projects serving the country of some 250 million.

Bhutto Zardari lamented that India was “weaponizing” water, calling it “both unfortunate and extremely dangerous.”

“The people of Pakistan want peace, and I believe the majority of Indians also desire peace between our two nations. But that peace will not be possible unless we resolve the issues of Kashmir, terrorism, and the water dispute that India has initiated,” he said.

“At this moment, Pakistan is clearly saying that we want peace, we want dialogue, while India lags behind on this path.”

Topics: Pakistan India standoff Pakistan India ceasefire

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