Imran married Bushra during her ‘iddat’: Aun Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Adviser to the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sports and Tourism Aun Chaudhry on Thursday appeared before a court to record his statement in the case related to the alleged un-Islamic Nikah of PTI Chairman Imran Khan with Bushra Bibi.

Aun Chaudhry appeared in the court of Senior Civil Judge, Islamabad, Nasar Minallah Baloch, and said Imran’s third marriage ceremony and wedding with Bushra Bibi was based on a fraud. The former close aide of PTI chairman also claimed that Imran had divorced Reham Khan through an email on the advice of Bushra Bibi.

Aun Chaudhry said that Bushra had told Imran Khan that if he would marry her, he would become the prime minister. He also claimed Imran was aware that Bushra Bibi’s Iddat had not ended but they still got married.

Aun Chaudhry said at the request of PTI chief, he arranged Khan’s wedding ceremony. “Mufti Saeed asked Bushra Bibi for the divorce certificate in front of me at the time of the marriage. When the news of the marriage broke in the media during Eid-ul-Fitr, the ceremony was redone on February 18.”

The PM’s adviser said that he had served as the personal assistant and political secretary of Imran, adding that he looked after all political and personal matters of the PTI chief. He said Imran divorced Reham in 2015 after Bushra convinced him that it would be better for him to part ways with her.

He said Reham was not in the country at that time and the former premier had sent him the divorce papers through an email. Following the divorce, Imran Khan used to hold meetings with Bushra Bibi, he claimed. Aun Chaudhry said Imran directed him on Dec 31, 2017 to make arrangements for his Nikah with Bushra Bibi on Jan 1, 2018. “I was surprised and said Bushra is already married. Imran said she had taken divorce from her husband,” he added.

He claimed that Imran had told him that the Iddat would end on Feb 18, 2018. Aun Chaudhry said he again made arrangements for their Nikah ceremony on Feb 28, 2018.

The court has adjourned further hearing of the case till May 10, 2023. The un-Islamic Nikah during Bushra Bibi’s Iddat period was brought to light after a petition was filed by Muhammad Hanif in a court. Mufti Saeed, who solemnised the Nikah, has already recorded his statement in the court.

He also claimed that Imran contacted him over the phone on January 1, 2018, asking him to solemnise his marriage with Bushra Bibi. The PTI chief took him to a house in DHA, Lahore, where a woman identified herself as Bushra Bibi’s sister, Saeed claimed. He asked the woman if Bushra Bibi’s Nikah could be solemnised as per Shariah.

The woman told him that all the conditions of the Shariah for Bushra Bibi’s marriage were fulfilled. On the woman’s assurance, Mufti Saeed solemnised the Nikah on January 1, 2018. After marriage, Imran and Bushra Bibi started living together in Islamabad.

Saeed further claimed that Imran contacted him again in February that year, requesting him to conduct their Nikah saying that the first time her Iddat had not been completed. “Imran Khan himself said the first Nikah was illegal,” Mufti Saeed claimed.