ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Saturday strongly refuted the impression that the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan was linked to politics or upcoming elections, ARY News reported.
“Imran Khan was not arrested by the government, only court’s verdict was implemented when he was sentenced in Toshakhana case,” she said while addressing a press conference.
The information minister said that the investigation of PTI chief’s ‘crimes’ had been going on for over one year, noting that more than 40 hearings were done in the Toshakhana case, but the latter appeared only three times.
She said that it was a simple case of a thief punished for his crime and any effort to link it with politics or elections was unjustified. “All the legal requirements have been met and after the trial is over, the court has given its verdict, in the case and his theft has proved,” she added.
The minister read the court verdict which said, “It has been successfully proven that the accused has committed offense of corrupt practices by making and publishing false statements and submitted false and incorrect declarations and material in particular related to Form B of the year 2021″.
The minister said all thieves arrested in various cases also have their vote, so should they all be released before elections?
Marriyum Aurangzeb said that Imran Khan, despite given ample opportunity to provide proofs and file response to questions regarding corruption and misuse of power, failed to file replies to allegations against him.
Imran Khan, she continued, also lied in the case of 190 million pounds theft case and in the case of cipher.
She also disclosed that the chairman PTI did not disclose correct assets in election returns. The minister said that Imran Khan, had declared three houses in Form B and tax returns of three years.
Imran Khan arrest
Earlier in the day, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan was arrested from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore soon after he was found guilty of “corrupt practices” in the Toshakhana case and sentenced to three years in prison.
PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi confirmed the arrest of the PTI chairman in the Toshakhana case.
PTI’s Punjab Chapter confirmed the reports with a tweet: “Imran Khan is being moved to Kot Lakhpat Jail.”
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