IHC Delays Imran Khan's Arrest in Cases Across Pakistan Until Monday - image source CTV News
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued a restraining order on Friday, prohibiting the authorities from arresting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in any case, including undisclosed cases, that are registered across the country until Monday, May 15.
As per reports, Imran Khan, who is still inside the IHC premises, has decided to stay put until written orders are issued, in an attempt to avoid his arrest. ICH Chief Justice Aamer Farooq has formed a two-member divisional bench comprising Justice Ejaz Ishaq Khan and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri to consider Khan’s bail requests in several cases. The court also granted protective bail to the PTI chairman in three terrorism cases filed against him in Lahore and barred authorities from arresting him until May 17 in any case registered in Islamabad after May 9.
Read also: Imran Khan, Former Leader of Pakistan, Gets Arrested
Salman Safdar, the lawyer representing Imran Khan, pleaded to the court to grant his client protective bail in all cases registered against him since May 9, citing the misuse of government machinery. This came during a hearing where Justice Jahangiri approved Khan’s 10-day protective bail in a case related to the death of Zille Shah, a PTI worker who was killed during a party rally in Lahore earlier this year, against surety bonds worth Rs50,000. During the proceedings, Khan highlighted Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah’s threats to arrest him again and expressed concern about the lack of rule of law in the country.
During the hearing, the judge highlighted that the current government had filed a case against former interior minister Sheikh Rashid, who resides in Rawalpindi, in Baka Khel of North Waziristan. However, he also acknowledged that the PTI government had registered similar cases against Javed Latif, a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, and others.
The court subsequently granted bail to Imran Khan and directed that he should not be apprehended in any cases of which he is unaware until Monday morning.
What’s the Al-Qadir Trust Case?
During the early hours of the day, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) granted protective bail to former prime minister Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust case. This came a day after the Supreme Court ruled that his arrest was “unlawful”. A two-member special division bench consisting of Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Saman Imtiaz, who presided over the hearing, approved Imran Khan’s bail in the Al-Qadir case for a period of two weeks.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued a notice to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) during a hearing on a case related to former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The court directed the anti-graft watchdog to submit its response in the upcoming hearing.
During the hearing, Imran’s counsel, Haris, contended that NAB’s actions against the former PM were unlawful. Haris stated that PTI learned through the media that the inquiry against Imran had been converted into an investigation. He claimed that the manner in which the inquiry was converted into an investigation suggested an intention to arrest Imran immediately.
Haris further informed the court that a notice was sent to him on March 2, but he replied, stating that the notice was not sent in accordance with the requirements of the NAB Ordinance.
After hearing the arguments, the IHC granted Imran’s bail plea for a period of two weeks. The court also instructed the NAB prosecutor general and Imran’s lawyers to be prepared for the next hearing.
Supreme Court declares arrest as “unlawful”
Imran Khan, the Chief of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was ordered to be produced before the Supreme Court of Pakistan by a three-member bench consisting of Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Athar Minallah and the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP). Upon his arrival at the Supreme Court, the court immediately termed his arrest “illegal”.
The order for his release was given while hearing his plea against his arrest in the Al-Qadir Trust case. Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial told Imran Khan that his arrest was invalid and the entire process needs to be reversed. The hearing took place on Thursday in Islamabad.
Following the Supreme Court’s ruling that former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s arrest was “illegal”, the court ordered Khan to stay at the Police Lines Guest House, but not as a prisoner, and directed the Islamabad police chief to ensure his security. The court also instructed him to appear before the Islamabad High Court on Friday morning.
Khan has been engaged in a tumultuous campaign for snap elections since his ouster from office in April. He has been highly critical of the Pakistani government and powerful military, blaming them for his removal from power.
Imran Khan Arrested and Released by Supreme Court
On Tuesday, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested Imran Khan, former prime minister and Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) political party, in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust case. The arrest was made by Rangers personnel, who were acting on the NAB’s warrant, at the Islamabad High Court premises. Imran Khan had gone to seek bail in multiple cases registered against him.
