Imran Khan's 14-day remand was asked by the corruption watchdog during the Al-Qadir Trust case hearing. The hearing was presided over by Judge Mohammad Bashir Image Courtesy AP
Imran Khan's 14-day remand was asked by the corruption watchdog during the Al-Qadir Trust case hearing. The hearing was presided over by Judge Mohammad Bashir Image Courtesy AP
Imran Khan Arrest: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan was taken into custody a day earlier from the grounds of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust case, and an accountability court on Wednesday granted the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) an eight-day remand.
A sessions court charged PTI leader Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case separately. The Islamabad Police Lines, which was accorded the status of a court venue as a “one-time dispensation” late on Tuesday night, hosted both proceedings under heavy guard.
Imran Khan’s 14-day remand was asked by the corruption watchdog during the Al-Qadir Trust case hearing. The hearing was presided over by Judge Mohammad Bashir.
Khawaja Harris, the attorney for PTI Chairman, argued against the motion and claimed that the matter was outside the purview of the agency. He added that the NAB had also not released the probe report.
“Everyone has the right to a fair trial,” he said, calling for the hearing to be held in an open court. He further said a building had been constructed on the land belonging to Al-Qadir Trust, where people received education free of cost.
Imran was shown the warrant at the time of his detention, the NAB prosecutor informed the court in the meantime. He also guaranteed that Imran Khan’s attorney would receive the required paperwork.
“This is a corruption case which the UK’s National Crime Agency has probed,” he said, adding that the money received was meant to be transferred to the government of Pakistan.
“Instead of the government, the funds that were received were transferred to Bahria Town,” he said.
The PTI chairman, however, disputed the NAB’s account and testified in court that he saw the arrest warrant after being escorted to the bureau’s office rather than when he was actually arrested.
“I haven’t gone to the washroom in 24 hours,” he told the court, adding that he wanted his physician, Dr Faisal, to be called in.
“I don’t want what happened to Maqsood chaprasi (peon) to happen to me,” he said, referring to one of the people involved in the Ramazan Sugar Mills case who died in UAE last year.
“They inject you and the person dies slowly,” he alleged. The court then reserved its verdict.
District and additional sessions the Toshakhana case hearing was presided over by Judge Humayun Dilawar.
The PTI leader was the subject of criminal law proceedings requested by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). In response to a reference submitted by parliamentarians from the ruling coalition last year, the ECP addressed the court about the issue.
According to the reference, Imran “deliberately concealed” information on gifts he kept from the Toshaskhana during his tenure as prime minister, including the revenues from their reported sales. The Toshaskhana is a storage facility for items given to government officials by foreign authorities.
Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha of the PML-N, was quoted as saying by Pakistani publication ‘Dawn’ that the PTI leader was arrested after “fulfilling all legal requirements” when he was present at the Police Lines office.
Separately, the Islamabad Police announced through Twitter that there would be heavy security in place before to the hearing and that only individuals with proper identification would be allowed inside the court.
“Strict action will be taken against those causing damage to state and private property,” it warned. The police further said that armed security had been kept on “high alert” considering the “risks of terrorism”.
Separately, PTI leaders asserted that Imran was denied legal counsel and that party officials were not permitted to speak with him.
“So (Imran Khan’s) lawyers and senior leadership not allowed to meet him in the hastily set up makeshift NAB court in Police Lines Guest House. Many leaders and lawyers not allowed inside premises. All signs of another kangaroo court set up,” PTI’s Shireen Mazari told the media.
In an interview with Geo News, PTI leader Babar Awan referred to Imran’s detention as a “state abduction” and claimed that party leaders were being denied access to the PTI chairman.
The NAB issued an arrest warrant charging the PTI chairman with corruption and engaging in corrupt behaviour in violation of Section 9(a) of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, and he was taken into custody on Tuesday outside the Islamabad High Court.
The accountability watchdog claims that Imran and his wife bought land worth hundreds of kanals and billions of rupees from Bahria Town Ltd in exchange for legalising Rs50 billion that the UK had discovered and returned to Pakistan under the previous PTI administration.
The turn of events followed the military’s denial of Imran’s claims against DG-C Major General Faisal Naseer and his reiteration of them.
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