ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Thursday reserved its verdict on the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) plea seeking a 14-day remand of the former premier who was arrested yesterday in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
The former prime minister was arrested on Tuesday by Rangers on the orders of the NAB, an autonomous anti-graft agency, in relation to the Al-Qadir Trust case. He was then moved to its office in the garrison town of Rawalpindi for questioning.
Later, announcing the reserved verdict on Khan’s arrest, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) said that the arrest was legal; therefore, Khan’s legal team intends to challenge his arrest in the Supreme Court today.
Earlier today, PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry also filed a petition challenging Khan’s arrest in the Supreme Court amid tight security as the heavy police force was deployed outside the apex court as well.
Hearing:
At the outset of the hearing, the NAB sought a 14-day physical remand; however, the PTI lawyers opposed the request.
According to the media, Khan’s legal team was earlier denied permission to meet the party chief ahead of the hearing; however, once the hearing began Khan held discussions during a hearing break with lawyers Khawaja Haris, Faisal Chaudhry, Ali Gohar, and Ali Bukhari.
Several officials of the anti-graft watchdog including Special Prosecutor Rafay Maqsood, Deputy Prosecutor Muzaffar Abbasi, Prosecutor Sardar Zulqarnain, and investigation officer Mian Umar Nadeem were present in the court.
The NAB prosecutor informed the additional sessions judge Mohammad Bashir that Khan was shown warrants at the time of arrest; however, the PTI chief denied the claims saying that he saw the arrest warrants after reaching the NAB office.
Abbasi assured the judge that all necessary documents will be provided to the PTI chief’s lawyers. The judge, taking a break, directed the legal team to hold discussions with Khan as the former complained that the authorities did not allow them to meet their client before the hearing.
When the hearing resumed after the break, Khawaja Haris argued about the legality of Khan’s arrest.
Sharing the details of the case, Abbasi said that the money was seized by the UK’s National Crime Agency and sent it back to the Government of Pakistan.
After the completion of the lawyer Haris’s argument, Khan complained that which record is the anti-graft watchdog seeking that he is not sharing with the officials.
“The NAB is saying they want to compile the records,” Khan said, questioning when did he deny access to any of the records.
The former prime minister added that all transactions were made after the approval of the cabinet. Recalling yesterday’s events, Khan urged the judges to summon his team of doctors, especially Dr Faisal.
Hearing at a ‘special location’
It should be noted that Khan was not brought to a regular court in the federal capital and his scheduled hearing took place at the location where he was under custody.
The Islamabad chief commissioner earlier said that Khan, instead of being taken to F-8 Court Complex and Judicial Complex G 11/4, will be presented at New Police Guest House, Police Lines. Which has been given the one-time status of the court for this particular hearing, a notification issued by the Government of Pakistan read.
The decision to present Khan at a special court instead of a NAB court was taken in view of security threats to his life. According to sources, the PTI chief was shifted to an unknown place late at night from NAB’s office.
“the Provincial Government, as a one-time dispensation, is pleased to declare New Police Guest House, Police Lines Headquarters H 11/1, Islamabad, the venue for hearing of the case titled ‘District Election Commissioner Vs Imran Khan Niazi’ and for the appearance of Mr. Imran Khan Niazi before Honorable Judge Accountability Court – I, Islamabad on 10th May 2023, instead of F-8 Court Complex, Islamabad and Judicial Complex G 11/4, Islamabad,” a notification issued by the provincial government, ICT read.
It should be noted that entry access to special court has only been granted to people according to the court list, while the permission for coverage depends on the judges.
