Pakistan Anti-Corruption Watchdog Seeks 14-Day Custody Of Imran Khan, Court Reserves Order

Ex-Pak PM Imran was produced in court on Wednesday day after his arrest. The anti-corruption watchdog has sought a 14-day physical remand of Khan.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan

The situation in Pakistan continues to remain highly unstable as suspense over the future of former Prime Minister Imran Khan is unclear. After his arrest on Tuesday, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials sought a 14-day physical remand of Khan as he was produced before a special court inside a high-security police facility, reported news agency PTI. The court was hearing the Al-Qadir Trust corruption in which Khan was arrested. The court has reserved its order in the case, as reported by Pakistan's Aaj News.

The 70-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician was taken into custody by the paramilitary Rangers on the orders of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The officials barged into a room of the Islamabad High Court where he came to attend a corruption case hearing, as per the PTI report. 

As per the agency, the New Police Guest House located on the premises of Police Lines Headquarters at Sector H-11/1 area of Islamabad was declared as a court for the purpose of hearing two cases against Khan. 

Notably, the first case is about Al-Qadir Trust allegedly causing more than Rs 50 billion to the national exchequer.  

He was then produced in the Anti-Accountability Court No. 1 on Wednesday which was presided by judge Muhammad Bashir. PTI report stated that he is the same judge who had convicted former premier Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam in a corruption case.  

Imran Khan’s Hearing 

In the beginning, the NAB lawyers requested the court to grant a 14-day remand of Khan to conduct a probe against him. Whereas Khan’s lawyer opposed the plea and asked the judge to release him as the charges were fabricated. 

The judge took a break after the initial hearing, PTI stated, adding that he was expected to give his ruling once the hearing would restart. 

It said that Imran Khan would also be presented in the District and Sessions Court where Judge Humayun Dilawar would preside over the proceedings. This is the case about concealing the proceeds from the sale of state gifts and it was filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan last year. 

Security Situation In Pakistan 

Heavy security deployment was put in place to stop PTI workers and Imran Khan supporters from getting anywhere near the hearing facility. News agency PTI said that even the media was not allowed to enter the area. 

Many senior PTI leaders were also barred from witnessing the hearing or meeting Imran Khan. 

Those not allowed to enter include PTI Senior Vice President Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Secretary General Asad Umar. The two in-person went to the Islamabad High Court to file a plea against the police decision to stop them from seeing Khan. 

However, Umar was arrested by the anti-terrorism squad of Islamabad police after two new cases were launched against him for the violence by the PTI protests after the arrest of Khan.