ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad on Wednesday granted the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) eight-day physical remand of former prime minister Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
Earlier, the NAB court had reserved its decision on the NAB’s plea seeking a 14-day physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, who was taken into custody on Tuesday from the Islamabad High Court premises in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
After hearing both parties, the NAB court reserved its verdict expected to be announced soon.
NAB prosecutor had pleaded the court for the 14-day physical remand of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Khawaja Harris, the attorney for the PTI chairman, argued against the motion and claimed it was outside the agency’s ambit. He added that the NAB had also yet to release the probe report. “Everyone has the right to a fair trial,” he declared, urging the hearing to take place in public.
He further claimed that a structure had been built on Al-Qadir Trust grounds, where people could receive free education.
Imran is no longer in a position of authority
According to him, the trust should be managed by a “legal person” who is not a public sector member. He claimed that Imran is no longer in a position of authority. Imran was presented with the warrant when he was arrested, according to the NAB prosecutor, who testified in court. He further promised Imran’s attorney that all the necessary paperwork would be given. He added that the money collected was intended to be sent to the government of Pakistan and that the UK’s National Crime Agency was looking into the situation.
“Instead of the government, the funds received were transferred to Bahria Town,” he said.
On the other hand, the PTI chief opposed NAB’s version and told the court that he was not shown the arrest warrant at the time of his arrest but when he was taken to the bureau’s office.
Khan told the court that he had not gone to the bathroom in 24 hours. He demanded the court allow him to meet his physician, Dr. Faisal. “I don’t want what happened to Maqsood chaprasi (peon) to happen to me,” he said, referring to one of the people involved in the Ramazan Sugar Mills case who died in the UAE last year. “They inject you, and the person dies slowly,” he said.