F.P. Report
RAWALPINDI: An accountability court on Wednesday announced the physical remand of PTI chief Imran Khan to NAB for eight days. The accountability bureau requested for Imran Khan’s physical remand for 14 days. The decision was announced by accountability court judge Muhammad Bashir in a case pertaining to Al-Qadir Trust.
Earlier, sources said, legal team was denied permission to meet Imran ahead of the hearing. However, he consulted his lawyers Khawaja Haris, Faisal Chaudhry, Ali Gohar, and Ali Bukhari during a break in hearing. The NAB was represented by Special Prosecutor Rafay Maqsood, Deputy Prosecutor Muzaffar Abbasi, Prosecutor Sardar Zulqarnain and investigation officer Mian Umar Nadeem.
The NAB prosecutor informed the additional sessions judge Mohammad Bashir that Imran was shown warrants at the time of arrest; however, the PTI chief denied the claim, saying that he saw the arrest warrants after reaching the NAB office. Mr Abbasi assured the judge that all necessary documents would be provided to the PTI chief’s lawyers.
The judge allowed a break when Imran complained that the authorities did not allow his lawyers to meet him before the hearing. When the hearing resumed, Haris argued about the legality of Imran’s arrest. Sharing the details of the case, Mr Abbasi said the money was seized by the UK’s National Crime Agency and sent it back to the Government of Pakistan.
After the completion of his lawyer Haris’s argument, Imran Khan said he never refused to share record with the NAB. “The NAB is saying they want to compile the records,” Mr Khan said, questioning when he denied 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, Mr Khan urged the judges to summon his team of doctors, especially Dr Faisal.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief and former prime minister Imran Khan, who was arrested on Tuesday in a graft case, presented before the accountability court at the Police Lines Headquarters in H-11/1 Islamabad today (Wednesday).
Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir hearing reference against the PTI chief while Imran’s councils Khawaja Haris, Faisal Chaudhry, Ali Gohar, and Ali Bukhari appeared before the court. During the hearing, the country’s top anti-corruption body sought 14-day physical remand of the former premier.
To which Imran’s council contended that NAB has no jurisdiction in the case, adding the anti-graft watchdog also did not share inquiry report. He maintained that a fair trial is Imran Khan’s fundamental right. “According to the law, Imran Khan’s trial should be held in open court, Imran Khan’s lawyer told the court.
NAB prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar reported to the court that Imran Khan was shown arrest warrants at the time of his detention. He told the court that Imran was shown the warrant at the time of his arrest. He also assured Imran’s lawyer that the necessary documentation would be provided.
“This is a corruption case which the UK’s National Crime Agency has probed,” he said, adding that the money received was meant to be transferred to the government of Pakistan. “Instead of the government, the funds that were received were transferred to Bahria Town,” he said. Imran Khan disputed the prosecutor’s statement and informed the court that the warrants were not shown to him during his arrest, but rather shown when he was transferred to the NAB office.
It has been disclosed that the federal government, acting on the NAB’s request, has designated the Police Lines Guest House as a sub-jail, and in the event that physical remand is granted in the NAB case, Imran Khan will be held there.
Lawyers allowed to meet Imran as trial in Al-Qadir Trust case begins: Authorities on Wednesday allowed Khawaja Haris, Barrister Gohar and Ali Bukhari to meet Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan at the New Police Guest House, Police Lines.
Earlier, the legal team and PTI leaders were denied meeting Imran. Imran’s legal team was stopped at NUST University Chowk while PTI leaders Babar Awan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Asad Umar were also not allowed to enter the Police Lines.
Awan told a private news channel that not only legal team, no one was allowed to meet Imran. Imran is being tried in Al-Qadir Trust case, a land deal case on the charges of which he was arrested from Islamabad High Court on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Additional Session’s Judge Humayun Dilawar has reached the Police Lines who is also hearing Toshakhana case against Imran Khan. Sources said that the NAB officials would request the court for a 14-day physical remand of Imran Khan. Earlier, the guest house was declared as the court where Imran Khan’s trial would be held.
Sources said cases relating to NAB and Toshakhana will be heard at the New Police Guest House, Police Lines Headquarters instead of F-8 Court Complex and Judicial Complex G-11/4 Islamabad. A notification in this regard has also been issued. As per the notification, the judges who will hear the NAB and Toshakhana cases will go to the Police Lines Headquarters H11/1 Islamabad.
Before hearing, the legal team has been denied permission to meet the party chief ahead of the hearing on Al-Qadir Trust case, a land deal case on the charges of which he was arrested a day earlier. “We were barred from meeting our client,” Babar Awan, a part of Khan’s legal team, told a news channel. He added nobody is being allowed to meet the PTI chief which is against the Constitution.
Sources claimed that the PTI chief had been shifted to the Police Lines Guest House. On the other hand, Police Lines Guest House has been given the status of a sub-jail by the federal government on the NAB request and Imran Khan will remain there if physical remand was granted in the NAB case. It is pertinent to mention here that a team of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), with the help of Rangers, on Tuesday took the former prime minister into custody in the Al-Qadir Trust case, prompting the IHC to take note. The NAB adopted a view that Imran Khan didn’t respond to the notices sent to him and his arrest was ‘completely in line with law and as per NAB ordinance’.
Saifullah Niazi, a cousin of Imran Khan, said the PTI chief had been arrested from the premises of the Islamabad High Court where he appeared in two cases. He was shifted to the NAB Rawalpindi office. The NAB team was assisted by the Pakistan Rangers personnel in the operation.
Sources claimed that Imran Khan is likely to remain under the custody of NAB for four to five days, as the bureau requested the court for his maximum remand allowed under the law. They said the NAB officials would do their best to keep him under custody for at least four to five days. Under new amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, the duration of physical remand has been cut from 90 days to 14 days, granted by any court. Sources said the accountability watchdog would seek the maximum physical remand of 14 days from the court.
Imran declared fit by joint medical board: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has been declared healthy and fit by the medical board on Wednesday, sources said. The board reportedly conducted multiple medical examinations, including tests for blood pressure, sugar levels, pulse, heartbeat, and basic blood tests. The examinations were conducted jointly by the PIMS and Polyclinic medical boards. According to the sources, PTI chief Imran Khan did not complain to medical team of any discomfort during the examinations, and his test results were all normal.
However, doctors recommended a urine analysis test and an X-ray, for which a portable X-ray machine was brought in. While the urine analysis test has reportedly been conducted, meanwhile, the doctors are still awaiting the reports. According to hospital sources, the medical report has been handed over to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials.
It is pertinent to mention here that the medical board comprised of five doctors from PIMS hospital and two from Polyclinic, with Dr. Rizwan Taj serving as the head of the joint medical board. The board consisted of doctors from various fields, including medicine, orthopedics, general surgery, and medicolegal.
A day before, Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, who was arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust case, has been referred to a seven-member medical board at the Poly Clinic in Islamabad for a medical examination.
The seven-member medical board, which includes experts in medicine, orthopedics, cardiology, general surgery, and pathology, has been formed under the leadership of Dr. Fareed Allah Shah, while Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed has also been included from the C.M.O. Poly Clinic. It should be noted that NAB Rawalpindi had contacted the hospital administration of Poly Clinic to request a medical examination for PTI chief Imran Khan.
Sources said that the Poly Clinic administration had directed NAB to submit a written request, after which NAB formally requested a medical examination for Imran Khan in accordance with the procedure.
Accountability court shifted to Police Lines for Imran Khan’s appearance: Owing to edgy law and order situation, the government has decided to relocate the accountability court where PTI Chairman Imran Khan will be produced in connection with Al Qadir Trust and Toshakhana cases today. New Police Guest House inside Islamabad Police Lines has been given the court status.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) which led the operation to arrest the former prime minister from outside the Islamabad High Court on Tuesday, will seek physical remand of Imran Khan from the accountability court. Imran Khan was shifted to Police Lines from a NAB office early on Wednesday. Imran Khan will appear Wednesday in the special court at the federal capital’s police headquarters to answer graft charges, a day after his shock arrest prompted violent nationwide protests.
More than 2,000 police personnel have been deployed outside Police Lines, Islamabad. According to the police sources, monitoring of the police lines with the help of CCTV and drone cameras is being carried out. The entry of non-related persons has strictly been prohibited, and the PTI leaders too could not get permission to enter the court in their vehicles.
The team of the PTI lawyers will also reach the court through shuttle service. NAB Prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar’s car was allowed to enter the court. “Section 144 is imposed. No one will be allowed to take the law into own hands,” police said. Over 100 workers were arrested Tuesday for violating Section 144 in Islamabad, it had been reported.
The police had used tear gas to disperse protesters. Imran Khan’s detention follows months of political crisis and came hours after the powerful military rebuked the former prime minister for alleging that a senior officer had been involved in a plot to kill him. Some protesters took out their wrath on the military, torching the residence of the corps commander in Lahore and laying siege to the Army’s General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.
In Peshawar, a mob razed the Chaghi monument — a mountain-shaped sculpture honouring the location of Pakistan’s first nuclear test. Police fought pitched battles with supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in cities across the country for hours on Tuesday night, made hundreds of arrests and registered cases against PTI workers. Local media reported two deaths in those clashes.
Tempers appeared to have cooled on Wednesday morning, but there was a huge security presence across the capital, particularly outside the so-called Police Lines where the special court will convene. Authorities also ordered schools shuttered across the country, and continued restricting access to social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. “At a time we are already struggling to feed our children, further uncertainty has been created,” Farooq Bhatti, a van driver, told reporters in Rawalpindi Wednesday morning. “The violence will not serve anyone… everyone will be affected… but I doubt the decision makers care.” (INP)
