PTI lawyers thrashed Bushra Bibi's former husband Khawar Maneka, as he exited the district court premises in Islamabad on Wednesday after a hearing on the appeals of PTI Founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the iddat nikah case.
Earlier, inside the courtroom, both Maneka and the PTI lawyers had a bitter exchange and both resorted to sloganeering. Later, outside, the lawyers smacked him in the face and also attacked him with bottles. They also raised slogans against Maneka.
PTI lawyers Naeem Panjotha, Khalid Yousaf and others appeared in the iddat nikah case, while Bushra Bibi's ex-husband Maneka also arrived in the courtroom.
Transfer of case
Meanwhile, District and Sessions Judge Shahrukh Arjumand requested to transfer the appeals to another court. The judge wrote a letter to the Islamabad High Court registrar requesting the transfer of the case. In the letter, Judge Arjumand said the appeals of Bushra Bibi and Imran Khan were scheduled for hearing today, but Maneka expressed no-confidence in him in open court.
A similar petition expressing no-confidence in the court had been dismissed earlier, he wrote further, adding that it would not be right to pass judgement on another no-confidence plea by Khawar Maneka.
He then requested to transfer the appeals to another court and fix the time of hearing, adding that the defendant and his lawyers have always tried to disrupt the hearings.
The hearing
During the hearing, Khawar Maneka asked the court for 10 minutes to say something. "I would like to tell the court about the pain I am going through," he said.
Judge Arjumand remarked that he should ask his lawyer to speak on his behalf. Maneka said his lawyer could not explain his feelings.
Maneka said he knew the decision was to be announced today, at which a PTI lawyer asked to issue a contempt of court notice to him.
Later, while leaving the courtroom, the PTI lawyers raised slogans and also attacked Maneka with slaps and bottles.
It should be noted that the decision on the appeal against the illegal marriage case was scheduled to be pronounced on Wednesday. The session court had reserved the decision after the arguments were completed at the last hearing.