Online Desk: Former prime minister and PTI chief Imran Khan has been presented at the Islamabad Police Lines, which has been given the status of a court venue as a “one-time dispensation”, a day after he was arrested from the premises of the Islamabad High Court in relation to the Al-Qadir Trust investigation by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

At the outset of the hearing, NAB requested the court to grant 14-day physical remand of Imran. The PTI chairman’s lawyer opposed the request and said that the case did not fall within the bureau’s ambit. He further said that NAB had not shared the inquiry report either. “Everyone has the right to a fair trial,” he said, calling for the hearing to be held in an open court.

The NAB prosecutor 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.

Meanwhile, the PTI chief told the court that he was shown the arrest warrant when he was taken to the NAB office and not at the time of his arrest. A late-night notification issued by the Islamabad commissioner’s office said the ex-prime minister would appear in two cases at the venue, where sources say he is being detained.

One of the cases is in relation to the Toshakhana, in which Imran’s indictment is pending. The other case, which relates to the Al-Qadir Trust, will be heard by an accountability judge.

Security beefed up

Ahead of the NAB hearing today, strict security arrangements were seen outside the police lines office by a Dawn correspondent, and nearby roads have been blocked off by placing containers. PML-N’s Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha, who was present at the Police Lines office, asserted that the PTI chief’s arrest was made after “fulfilling all legal requirements”.

Separately, the Islamabad Police said in a tweet that strict security would be in place ahead of the hearing and only permitted persons would be allowed inside the court. “Strict action will be taken against those causing damage to state and private property,” it warned. The police further said that armed security had been kept on “high alert” considering the “risks of terrorism”.

Separately, PTI leaders claimed that Imran was being denied legal representation and party leaders were not being allowed to meet him. “So [Imran’s] lawyers and senior leadership not allowed to meet him in the hastily set up makeshift NAB court in Police Lines Guest House. Many leaders and lawyers not allowed inside premises. All signs of another kangaroo court set up,” said PTI’s Shireen Mazari.

PTI leader Babar Awan, while speaking to Geo News, termed Imran’s arrest a “state abduction” and said that party leaders were being denied access to the PTI chairman.
Imran’s arrest The PTI chairman was arrested on Tuesday from outside the Islamabad High Court under a warrant issued by the NAB that accuses him of corruption and corrupt practices under Section 9(a) of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999.

The accountability watchdog alleges that Imran and his wife obtained billions of rupees and land worth hundreds of kanals from Bahria Town Ltd for legalising Rs50 billion that was identified and returned to the country by the UK during the previous PTI government.

The development came on the heels of the military’s rejection of accusations Imran made against DG-C Maj Gen Faisal Naseer and his doubling down on the allegations. Following Imran’s arrest, a NAB source told Dawn that “we will do our best to keep him under custody for at least four to five days”.