Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan was arrested by Rangers personnel from the Islamabad High Court on May 9th, 2023. The arrest was made on the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) warrant, as part of the bureau’s investigation in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
According to reports, Imran Khan was arrested ahead of his appearance before a judge to seek bail in multiple FIRs registered against him. Rangers personnel took him away in a black Toyota Hilux Vigo to an undisclosed location.
The arrest was made under Section 9A of the National Accountability Ordinance 1999. NAB had issued arrest warrants for Imran Khan on May 1, 2023.
Following the arrest, the Islamabad High Court Chief Justice, Aamer Farooq, took notice of the matter and summoned the Islamabad IG and the interior secretary within “15 minutes”. The additional attorney general was also directed to appear before the court in 15 minutes and was instructed to find out immediately who was behind the arrest.
During the hearing, Justice Farooq asked the Islamabad advocate general about the case for which Imran Khan was arrested. The advocate general requested the court to extend the time of 15 minutes to half an hour, but the request was rejected, and he was ordered to appear in 15 minutes.
The Al-Qadir Trust case involves a settlement between the PTI government and a property tycoon that reportedly caused a loss of 190 million pounds to the national exchequer. Imran Khan, along with his wife Bushra Bibi and other PTI leaders, is facing a NAB inquiry in this case.
According to the charges, Imran Khan and others accused allegedly adjusted Rs50 billion sent by Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to the government. They 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.
The arrest of Imran Khan is expected to cause a flare-up in the country’s restive politics, with PTI supporters calling for his immediate release.
