IHC registrar objects to Bushra Bibi's Iddat plea

The Islamabad High Court's registrar has lodged objections to a plea submitted by Bushra Bibi, the wife of former Pakistan Prime Minister, aiming to halt her sentence in the Iddat case and secure her release on bail, Dawn reported.

In her application, Bibi argued that her conviction was untenable due to "weak evidence" and discrepancies in the prosecution's argument. She claimed her incarceration in Adiala Jail was subjected to "pathetic" conditions, labeling the case against her as "politically motivated."

Seeking justice, she implored the court to adjudicate her petition swiftly.

However, the IHC registrar's office rebuffed the petition, citing the absence of a challenge to any lower court ruling. Moreover, a parallel matter was already under consideration by the trial court, rendering it impermissible for the petitioner to pursue similar remedies from two different judicial bodies.

Both Bibi and her husband had contested their conviction in the sessions court, awaiting the judge's decision. Initially slated for May 29, the announcement of the reserved verdict faced a delay as District and Sessions Judge Shahrukh Arjumand requested the case's transfer to another judge, according to Dawn.