Imran Khan sent to 8-day remand amid violent protests across Pakistan; what we know so far
On Wednesday, the former Pakistan PM was produced in the Anti-Accountability Court No. 1 presided by judge Muhammad Bashir, the same judge who had convicted former premier Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam in a corruption case of having properties in London.
FollowFormer Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was on Wednesday (May 10) sent on an eight-day remand to the anti-corruption watchdog while a sessions court indicted him in a separate graft case, amid violent protests that left at least seven people dead and prompted deployment of the army and in three provinces.
OnTuesday, the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was taken into custody by the paramilitary Rangers on the orders of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) by barging into a room of the Islamabad High Court.
On Wednesday, the former Pakistan PM was produced in the Anti-Accountability Court No. 1 presided by judge Muhammad Bashir, the same judge who had convicted former premier Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam in a corruption case of having properties in London.
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In its verdict, the court handed over Khan for an eight-day remand to the NAB.Â
During the hearing, the NAB lawyers requested the court to grant a 14-day remand of Khan to probe the allegations against him in the Al-Qadir Trust case in which he is accused of looting Rs 50 billion of the national treasury. But Khan's lawyer opposed the plea and asked the judge to release him as the charges were fabricated.
In his statement, Khan told the accountability court that he was fearful for his life. "I have not been to the washroom in 24 hours," he said.
"I am afraid I will meet the same fate as 'Maqsood Chaprasi'," Khan said, referring to a witness in Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's money laundering case who died due to a cardiac arrest last year. Khan's party had termed the witness' death 'mysterious'.
Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan indicted in Toshakhana case
Separately, the District and Sessions Court indicted Khan in the Toshakhana case. Judge Humayun Dilawar conducted the hearing in the makeshift court set up in the New Police Guest House along with the ATC No. 1.
Khan was present in the court and pleaded not guilty when the charges were read. He also refused to sign the court documents, according to Geo News channel.
The case was filed last year by the Election Commission of Pakistan and Khan had skipped several hearings in the past months. The charges are about the allegation that Khan concealed the proceeds of sale from the state gifts.
The New Police Guest House located in the high security premises of Police Lines Headquarters at Sector H-11/1 area of Islamabad was declared as a court for the purpose of hearing two cases against the former cricketer-turned-politician.
PTI leaders call for countrywide shutdown to protest former Pakistan PM Imran Khan's arrest
