NAB requests Imran’s 14-day physical remand

ISLAMABAD:

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday requested a 14-day physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust case.

Accountability court judge Muhammad Bashir conducted the hearing of the case at the New Police Guest House, wherein the NAB presented the reasons behind the arrest of the former prime minister.

Imran’s legal team, however, has opposed the NAB’s request. His lawyer Khawaja Harris has maintained that the PTI chief will cooperate in the investigation and that there was “no need for a physical remand”.

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Ahead of Imran’s appearance in two cases a day after his arrest, three lawyers of the former ruling party were permitted to enter the location where the hearing is being held.

The ex-PM was arrested by the Rangers paramilitary force at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday.

PTI moves IHC, SC

Hours after the location of Imran’s hearing in the anti-graft case was changed, Lawyer Faisal Chaudhry filed a petition challenging the move in the IHC.

In the plea, he requested the court to declare the notification of “forming a police line court illegal”, adding that Imran’s legal team should be allowed to meet him.

Advocate Chaudhry also maintained that “not making the legal team meet with Imran Khan will affect the fair trial”.

In a separate development, the former ruling party has challenged Imran Khan’s arrest in the Supreme Court (SC).

The PTI has filed a constitutional petition in the top court through lawyer Khawaja Haris, pleading “Imran Khan’s arrest is illegal.”

The petition has also requested the apex court to annul IHC’s order declaring Imran’s arrest as legal and to order to produce the deposed premier before the court.

Govt backs Imran’s arrest

Despite protests erupting across the country condemning the arrest, the government has backed the development maintaining it was in accordance with law.

Meanwhile, the IHC on Tuesday declared that Imran Khan’s arrest from the court’s premises was carried out legally. Written orders have been issued by the IHC in this regard.

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In 2019, then prime minister Imran Khan had laid the foundation stone of the Al-Qadir University for Sufism in Sohawa, Jhelum district.

He was, however, later accused of looting Rs50 billion of the national treasury, along with a property tycoon, and getting the Trust registered on 450-kanal.

Furthermore, the high court has also extended interim bail to Imran till May 16 in the Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha attack case and a case over his remarks against state institutions.

Hearing venue changed abruptly

In a notification dated May 9, the government announced that Imran’s court hearings location has been changed.

In a notification issued late on Tuesday night, however, the office of the Chief Commissioner Islamabad Capital Territory said that the venue for the hearing had been changed to the police guesthouse in Islamabad.

As part of a “one-time dispensation”, the local administration declared “New Police Guest House, Police Lines Headquarters H 11/1, Islamabad, the venue for hearing of 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.”

Imran is also scheduled to appear before a local court in the federal capital set to indict the former prime minister on May 10 in the Toshakhana case, filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

3 PTI lawyers allowed access

Amid strict security measures, three of Imran’s lawyers, namely, Khawaja Haris, Ali Bukhari and Barrister Gohar were allowed to enter the police lines headquarters.

Notably, the PTI had provided a list of 20 lawyers, only three of which have been permitted to enter the premises.

Read More PM calls out Imran for ‘maligning state institutions’

Meanwhile, the PTI leadership has been blocked from reaching the venue of the hearing.

These include senior party leaders like Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, and Chief Minister Gilgit Baltistan Muhammad Khalid Khurshid Khan.

Several PTI leaders, including Ali Nawaz Awan, have been stopped at the Kashmir highway and only authorised persons are being permitted to enter police lines.

Qureshi took to Twitter to question why Imran was “not being allowed legal representation?” and “why are his lawyers and senior leadership not being allowed to meet him?”.