Court grants accountability bureau 8-day physical remand of Imran Khan

Pakistan’s accountability court has granted the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) eight-day remand of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust graft case, Samaa reported.

The Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir had earlier heard the case and reserved his verdict. On Tuesday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chief Khan was arrested in a graft case, and presented before the accountability court at the Police Lines Headquarters.

The accountability bureau will investigate the former premier at the Police Lines. Earlier, NAB requested the court for a 14-day physical detention of Khan, reported Samaa.

At the outset of the hearing, the country’s top anti-corruption body sought 14-day physical remand of the former premier. Imran’s council contended that NAB has no jurisdiction in the case, adding the anti-graft watchdog also did not share the inquiry report.

He maintained that a fair trial is Imran Khan’s fundamental right. “Imran Khan’s trial should be held in open court,” his counsel urged the court. After the hearing, the former PM’s lawyer held a press conference where he claimed that Khan alleged in court that he was tortured in custody and was not allowed to even use the washroom, according to the video posted by PTI’s official Twitter handle. The former cricketing superstar alleged that he was given insulin through his diet to induce a heart attack.

Currently, in Pakistan, massive protests have broken out by supporters of Khan. The protests have led to widespread destruction of properties.

According to Dawn, the Islamabad police have said that the office of the senior superintendent of the Industrial Area has been set on fire by miscreants.

As the crackdown on the PTI’s leadership intensified, the party’s Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi was arrested, hours after the police apprehended its Secretary General Asad Umar, Geo News reported.