Imran Khan denies charges in Toshakhana case; NAB had asked accountability court for 14-day physical remand of the PTI leader
AMN / WEB DESK
Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s legal troubles increased today as an accountability court in Islamabad granted the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) eight-day physical remand of the former prime minister in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
The verdict was announced by Judge Mohammad Bashir, who reserved it earlier today.
He directed officials to present Khan in court on May 17.
Earlier today, a district and sessions court formally framed the charges against the PTI chief in the Toshakhana case.
Khan was arrested by the NAB in a dramatic move a day earlier in a corruption case involving a property tycoon.
The PTI chief was then whisked away to the NAB office in the garrison town of Rawalpindi for interrogation.
Violent clashes broke out across the country after the surprise move, with hundreds of party workers, including former federal minister Ali Zaidi, being apprehended.
Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) took notice of Khan’s arrest but later declared the detention legal.
Imran Khan denies charges in Toshakhana case
Additional Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar indicted Khan; however, the PTI chief denied charges and did not sign any documents.
Accountability court reserves verdict on plea for PTI chief’s remand
Imran Khan was presented before an accountability court for proceedings of Al-Qadir Trust case, currently underway at a Islamabad Police Lines, which was given the status of a court as a “one-time dispensation” late on Tuesday night.
As soon as the much-anticipated hearing of case against PTI chief began, NAB officials sought a 14-day remand of the former premier.
Later, the court reserved its verdict on the NAB’s request for Khan’s remand.
Today’s hearing
At the outset of the hearing, the NAB sought a 14-day physical remand; however, the PTI lawyers opposed the request.
Sources told Geo News that Khan’s legal team was earlier denied permission to meet the party chief ahead of the hearing; however, once the hearing began Khan held discussions — during a hearing break — with lawyers Khawaja Haris, Faisal Chaudhry, Ali Gohar, and Ali Bukhari.
Several officials of the anti-graft watchdog including Special Prosecutor Rafay Maqsood, Deputy Prosecutor Muzaffar Abbasi, Prosecutor Sardar Zulqarnain and investigation officer Mian Umar Nadeem were present in the court.
The NAB prosecutor informed the additional sessions judge Mohammad Bashir that Khan was shown warrants at the time of arrest; however, the PTI chief denied the claims saying that he saw the arrest warrants after reaching the NAB office.
Abbasi assured the judge that all necessary documents will be provided to the PTI chief’s lawyers. The judge, taking a break, directed the legal team to hold discussions with Khan as the former complained that the authorities did not allow them to meet their client before the hearing.
When the hearing resumed after the break, Khawaja Haris argued about the legality of Khan’s arrest.
Sharing the details of the case, Abbasi said that the money was seized by the UK’s National Crime Agency and sent it back to the Government of Pakistan.
After the completion of the lawyer Haris’s argument, Khan complained that which record is the anti-graft watch dog seeking that he is not sharing with the officials.
“The NAB is saying they want to compile the records,” Khan said, questioning when did he deny access to any of the records.
The former prime minister added that all transactions were made after the approval of the cabinet. Recalling yesterday’s events, Khan urged the judges to summon his team of doctors, especially Dr Faisal.
Hearing at ‘special location’
It should be noted that Khan was not brought to a court in F-8 Court Complex and Judicial Complex G 11/4, but the proceedings of the case were held at the location where he was under custody.
Instead of bringing the PTI chief to a regular court for the hearing, the government has declared the location of the former premier’s custody — New Police Guest House, Police Lines — the venue for the proceedings, the office of Islamabad chief commissioner said in a notification.