Imran Khan's arrest 'illegal', release him immediately, rules Pakistan Supreme Court

By Team Newsable | First Published May 11, 2023, 6:39 PM IST

Pakistan's Supreme Court said the anti-graft agency's arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan was illegal. He was arrested in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust Case.

The Pakistan Supreme Court on Thursday declared Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s arrest as 'illegal' and said he should be released "immediately". Khan has been ordered to appear in Islamabad High Court on Friday.

A three-member panel, including Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Athar Minallah, gave the decision while hearing a plea against his detention from the Islamabad High Court premises on Tuesday.

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The panel, while hearing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman's petition against his detention in the Al-Qadir Trust case, expressed anger at the way he was brought into custody by paramilitary Rangers and directed authorities to deliver him before it.

Khan was escorted to the court amid tight security. As he entered the courtroom, it was closed, and soon, the bench continued the hearing of the case. "It is good to see you," Chief Justice Bandial said to Khan.

After a brief hearing, the court declared that Khan's arrest was "illegal" and of no consequence and ordered that he should be set free. The judge further ordered him to appear in the Islamabad High judge (IHC) on Friday to seek further legal action."You will have to accept whatever the high court decides," the chief justice stated.

Khan claimed that he was "kidnapped from the court" while he was preparing for the biometric attendance in order to file an appeal during the hearing. He claimed he was subjected to violence, saying that he had been beaten with clubs and that such brutality was not even inflicted on criminals.

The PTI leader disassociated himself from the brutal protests by stating that he was in detention when the chief justice requested him to denounce the use of violence by the demonstrators.

"How am I responsible for the bloody protests?" he said. He said that he has never been in favour of violence. "I urge everyone to avoid damaging public properties," he said, adding that he was just pushing for elections.

PTI chief Imran Khan was arrested on Tuesday by Pakistani Rangers from outside the Islamabad High Court. He was arrested in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust Case. An arrest warrant against him was issued by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in Rawalpindi on May 1.

Imran Khan's supporters attacked the Pakistan Army's headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi and the Corps Commander's house in Lahore after his arrest. Several Pakistani cities had violent outbursts.

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The violent clashes between Imran Khan’s supporters and security forces have many injured. The law enforcement authorities have detained 1,150 PTI supporters including women in Punjab alone so far. Two top leaders – PTI Secretary General Asad Umar, former Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema and PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi – were also arrested on Wednesday.

The enduringly well-liked Imran Khan has previously said that the scores of lawsuits against him are an attempt by the weak government and military establishment to keep him from regaining power.

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