Imran Khan arrested in Al-Qadir Trust case
- By Zulqarnain Haider -
- May 09, 2023
ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan was arrested by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the Al-Qadir Trust case, ARY News reported on Tuesday.
The PTI chief was taken into custody by Rangers personnel, who were acting on the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) warrant, from the premises of Islamabad High Court where the former premier had gone to seek bail in multiple cases registered against him.
According to the NAB notice, Khan’s warrants were issued on May 1 by NAB chairman Lt Gen (retd) Nazir Ahmad Butt.
In a statement, Inspector General of Police, (IGP) Islamabad Dr Akbar Nasir Khan said that Imran Khan was arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust case, adding that the situation is under control.
عمران خان کو قادر ٹرسٹ کیس میں گرفتار کیاگیا ہے۔ آئی جی اسلام آباد ۔
حالات معمول کے مطابق ہیں ۔ آئی جی اسلام آباد
دفعہ 144 نافذ العمل ہے خلاف ورزی کی صورت میں کارروائی عمل میں لائی جائے گی ۔
— Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) May 9, 2023
Imran Khan ‘abducted’
In a tweet, Fawad alleged that Imran had been “abducted” from the court premises while a score of lawyers and general people had been “tortured”.
Former PM Imran Khan has been abducted from Court premises, scores of lawyers and general people have been tortured, Imran Khan has been whisked away by unknown people to an unknown location, CJ Islamabad HIgh Court has ordered Secy interior and IG police to appear within 15 min…
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) May 9, 2023
Rangers abducted PTI Chairman Imran Khan, these are the visuals. Pakistan’s brave people must come out and defend their country. pic.twitter.com/hJwG42hsE4
— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 9, 2023
Meanwhile, Islamabad police further said that Section 144 had been imposed in the federal capital and rejected the PTI’s allegations that people were tortured.
اسلام آباد میں دفعہ 144 نافذ العمل ہے۔
کسی بھی فرد فرد پر کسی بھی قسم کا تشدد نہیں کیا گیا۔
عمران خان کی گاڑی کے گرد پولیس کا حفاظتی حصار ہے۔
— Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) May 9, 2023
Taking to Twitter, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that Imran had failed to appear before the court despite being issued several notices to him in the inquiry.
“The arrest has been conducted by the National Accountability Bureau for causing losses to the national treasury,” he said.
نوٹسز کے باوجود عمران پیش نہیں ہوئے، قومی خزانے کو نقصان پہنچانے پر نیب کی جانب سے گرفتاری کی گئی ہے۔ ان پر کسی قسم کا کوئی تشدد نہیں کیا گیا۔
— Rana SanaUllah Khan (@RanaSanaullahPK) May 9, 2023
According to initial reports, the PTI chairman has been taken to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) office in Rawalpindi.
IHC summons IGP
Meanwhile, Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamer Farooq took notice of Imran Khan’s arrest from the premises of the high court and has summoned IG Islamabad, the secretary interior and the additional attorney general.
Justice Farooq has directed govt to inform court immediately who was behind the arrest and in what case has Imran been arrested in.
“Will summon prime minister if a report was not submitted in 15 minutes,” the judge remarked.
Protests erupt in several cities
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced protests across the country following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan.
The appeal was made from the official Twitter handle of the PTI.
They have badly pushed injured Imran Khan. Pakistan’s people, this is the time to save your country. You won’t get any other opportunity. pic.twitter.com/Glo5cmvksd
— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 9, 2023
Hundreds of PTI workers took to the streets in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, Multan and other cities to record their protest against the arrest of former premier.
Police have arrested several PTI workers in Islamabad who have blocked the Kashmir highway.
In Karachi, both lanes of the Sharea Faisal were blocked after PTI MNAs and MPAs blocked the roads.
Medical board formed
A seven-member medical board has been formed at the Poly Clinic in Islamabad for the medical examination of former prime minister.
The seven-member medical board, which includes experts in medicine, orthopedics, cardiology, general surgery, and pathology, has been formed under the leadership of Dr. Fareed Allah Shah, while Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed has also been included from the C.M.O. Poly Clinic.
It should be noted that NAB Rawalpindi had contacted the hospital administration of Poly Clinic to request a medical examination for PTI chief Imran Khan.
Al-Qadir Trust inquiry
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had launched an investigation against Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi and others for the alleged gain of hundreds of canals of land in the name of Al Qadir University Trust, which reportedly caused a loss of 190 million pounds to the national exchequer.
As per the charges, the Khan and others accused allegedly adjusted Rs50 billion — 190 million pounds at the time — sent by Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to the government.
Former PM Imran Khan had registered Trust for Al-Qadir University Project on Dec 26, 2019.
Jahangir Aslam, Abdul Qadir also contributed to this story