RAWALPINDI - Former prime minister Imran Khan claimed on Friday that he was approached with an offer to stay out of politics for three years, but he refused to take the deal.
He made this claim while speaking to reporters during the hearing of the unlawful marriage case at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. “Indirect messages were sent to me through Bushra Bibi when I was incarcerated at Attock Jail. I was told to stay quiet for three years and sit at Bani Gala without engaging in any activities,” said Imran Khan.
“I didn’t accept the deal that Nawaz Sharif accepted, and now he’s receiving protocol and is set to become Prime Minister. I simply told them that I would not deviate from the democratic process,” claimed Imran Khan. He further added, “My message to the Army Chief, General Asim Munir, is that he should consider the welfare of Pakistan’s 250 million people. Political stability and the rule of law are crucial for taking Pakistan forward. The SIFC will not benefit Pakistan if the country experiences destabilization.” Imran Khan also claimed that the Election Commission of Pakistan, along with PML-N, has already hacked the Result Management System. “I’m warning the Pakistan People’s Party, Jamaat-e-Islami, and other parties to remain vigilant.” Regarding Asif Ali Zardari’s assertion that Imran Khan sought his help during the vote of no-confidence, he said, “It would be judgment day if I ever asked Asif Zardari for help.”
“I didn’t sign my 342 statement in the Cipher case, so how has it been added to the detailed judgment? It must be an altered statement,” claimed Imran Khan.
The judgment on the illegal marriage case at Central Prison, Adyala, Rawalpindi, based on an application filed by former husband Khawar Maneka against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, has been reserved until today after 14 hours of proceedings.
“Khawar Maneka gave me a triple divorce in April 2017. I left his house and went to live at my mother’s house; Imran Khan and I solemnized our marriage on January 1, 2018. The divorce deed presented by Khawar Maneka is a fabricated document. The public ceremony of our Nikah was held in mid-February,” read the statement of 342 submitted by the couple in the court.
The couple also stated in their 342 statement that Khawar Maneka did not consider filing an application against them for 5 years and 11 months after their marriage, deciding to do so only after he was arrested on September 25, 2023, and later released on November 11, 2023. Khawar Maneka filed the instant petition on November 25, 2023. Salman Akram Raja and Usman Riaz represented Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, while Raja Rizwan Abbasi and his associates represented Khawar Maneka. Senior Civil Judge Qudrat Ullah led the proceedings. Earlier, during the hearing, an application filed by Salman Akram Raja for the couple’s acquittal was dismissed by the judge. This was followed by the cross-examination of Mufti Saeed and Lateef, a servant of Khawar Maneka. Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi submitted their 342 statement in the court.
