Explained: What is Al-Qadir Trust case in which Imran Khan was arrested?
Imran Khan arrested: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was taken into custody by the Rangers in the Al-Qadir Trust case on Tuesday afternoon. The Al-Qadir Trust case pertains to accusations against Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, and other leaders of his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf around the establishment of Al-Qadir University.
FollowFormer Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested on Tuesday on the grounds of the Islamabad High Court, where he was present for two sessions this afternoon, in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust Case. Khan was taken in custody by the Rangers from the court premises.
According to PTI, paramilitary Rangers busted out a glass pane at the court where Khan was undergoing a biometric procedure before arresting him after thrashing attorneys and Khan's security personnel.
Since being removed from office by a no-trust vote in April of last year, Khan has been involved in a number of issues. He has rejected all these cases as political victimisation by the ruling alliance. Currently, Khan is facing over 140 cases related to terrorism, blasphemy, murder, violence, inciting to violence.
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What is the Al-Qadir Trust Case?
Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi, and his close aides Zulfiqar Bukhari and Babar Awan established the Al-Qadir Project Trust with the goal of establishing the Al-Qadir University to provide 'excellent education' in the Sohawa Tehsil of Punjab's Jhelum region. The trust's office address is listed as "Bani Gala House, Islamabad" in the records.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is investigating the former prime minister, his wife Bushra Bibi, and other PTI leaders for allegedly "accepting Rs 5 billion and hundreds of kanals (of land) from Bahria Town (an Islamabad-based real estate company) in exchange for protecting the firm in a money laundering case."
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The leaders of the PTI are also accused of getting undue benefit in the form of over 458 kanals of land at Mouza Bakrala, Sohawa, to establish Al Qadir University.
In 2019, Bushra Bibi signed a memorandum of understanding with a private real estate business, Bahria Town, to accept donations from them. As part of the sale, the trust received 458 kanals, 4 marlas, and 58 square feet of property from Bahria Town.
However, according to Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, of this 458 kanals of land, Imran Khan fixed its shares and transferred 240 kanals of the donated land in the name of Farah Gogi, a close friend of Bushra Bibi. According to Sanaullah, the value of this property was undervalued, and Khan obtained his portion in the name of the institution. Meanwhile, a deal was sealed between the then PTI government and a property tycoon, which led to a loss to the national exchequer.
Imran's arrest warrant was issued on May 1, according to which he is "accused of corruption and corrupt practise under Section 9(a) of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999."
