NAB arrests PTI Chairman Imran Khan from IHC premises in Al-Qadir Trust case

ISLAMABAD, May 9 (SABAH): Pakistan’s former prime minister and Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has been arrested during a court appearance in Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday. Imran Khan was shifted the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) office present at Melody area of Islamabad. Imran Khan’s medical examination was also conducted at the NAB office. Imran Khan will be presented before the accountability court judge Muhammad Bashir for securing the physical remand tomorrow (Wednesday).

Imran Khan, who was present at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for two hearings on Tuesday afternoon, was arrested from the court’s premises in the Al-Qadir Trust case.

Imran Khan’s arrest warrant was dated May 1 and signed by NAB Chairman Lt-Gen (retd) Nazir Ahmed. It said that Imran Khan was accused of corruption and corrupt practices under Section 9(a) of the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), 1999.

According to NAB’s statement, Imran Khan was arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust case. It further stated that Rangers did not take him in custody. It stated that NAB on its own had ordered for his arrest; hence, it implemented this order. In the NAB’s statement, it was stated that former premier was accused of involved in corruption practices.

Islamabad police released a statement quoting Inspector General Akbar Nasir Khan as saying that Imran Khan had been arrested in relation to the case which alleges that the PTI chief and his wife obtained billions of rupees from a real estate firm for legalising a laundered amount of Rs50 billion that was identified and returned to the country by the UK during the previous PTI government.

The police chief also said that the situation in Islamabad was “normal”, adding that Section 144 had been imposed in the city and action would be taken against violators.

Several dozen PTI workers reached outside the NAB Rawalpindi officer and chanted slogans against the institutions and in favor of Imran Khan. Nearly one dozen men and women protesters were arrested by the police.

In Karachi, police used tear gas to disperse protesters who had gathered on the main road running through the country’s largest city. In Lahore, where Imran Khan resides, police used water cannon, according to reports.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan said that Imran Khan had failed to appear before the court despite being issued several notices. “The arrest has been conducted by the National Accountability Bureau for causing losses to the national treasury,” he said, adding that Imran Khan was not tortured.

Meanwhile, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi has strongly condemned the arrest of of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and called a meeting of a ‘seven-member Emergency Committee’ set up by the party chairman forthwith to chalk out a comprehensive strategy to ensure safe and speedy release of Imran Khan.

In a statement on Tuesday, PTI Vice Chairman convened the meeting of the ‘Emergency Committee’ consisted of senator Saifullah Khan Nayee, Senator Azam Swati, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, PTI senior leaders Murad Saeed, Ali Amin Khan Gandapur and Hassan Niazi. He said that the senior leadership and the emergency committee meeting was convened to review the situation from every aspect and announce a comprehensive plan of action.

He said the violent arrest of PTI Chairman was completely unjustifiable and unacceptable, announcing that PTI would hold peaceful but strong and effective protest countrywide to ensure release of the PTI chairman at the earliest. Qureshi said that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) was stormed to violently detained Imran Khan despite the fact he even offered voluntarily arrest in his statement before appearing the court.

He said that detaining Imran Khan was naked fascism and reprehensible by storming the IHC during biometrics and injuring the lawyers. Qureshi stated that Chief Justice IHC took immediate notice of the abduction of Imran Khan from the court premises. However, he appealed that Chief Justice IHC should issue order for his immediate recovery and court appearance. PTI Vice Chairman stated that the entire nation was deeply concerned about the health and safety of the Chairman PTI. Qureshi announced that the PTI would hold a peaceful but very effective protest against the arrest of the PTI Chairman.

He stated that there was a great resentment and anger in the entire nation against the violence and abduction of PTI Chairman. Qureshi said that the PTI would record their strong protest without taking the law into their hands, vowing that they would fight this war with political and legal methods for the safe recovery and release of the Chairman.