ISLAMABAD: Tuesday saw a shocking event when PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan was taken into custody in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust issue while on the grounds of the Islamabad High Court, where he had attended two hearings.
Imran, who had been using a wheelchair since being shot during an assassination attempt last year, was manhandled by hundreds of security officers onto an armoured truck inside the court grounds, according to video recordings shown on TV networks.
According to a statement issued by Islamabad police chief Akbar Nasir, the PTI chairman was arrested in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust case, which alleged that Imran and his wife, Bushra Bibi, acquired billions of rupees from a real estate company in order to legalise a laundered amount of Rs60 billion, which was identified and returned to Pakistan by the UK while the former premier was in power.
In a similar development, the IHC has deferred its decision on the legitimacy of the detention of the PTI head.
Imran will have to be released if he was arrested illegally, according to IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq.
The arrest of the PTI president comes a day after the military advised him not to make "baseless allegations" after he accused a senior officer of trying to assassinate him again.
The scolding late Monday showed how far the PTI chief's ties with the military had deteriorated. The military backed his ascent to power in 2018 but lost its support ahead of a legislative vote of no confidence that removed him last year.
"As we approached the court's biometric room to mark the attendance, dozens of Rangers [personnel] attacked us," Ali Bukhari, a PTI lawyer, stated.
"They beat him [Imran] and dragged him out," he told AFP.
According to the Islamabad IGP, Imran was transported to the Rawalpindi headquarters of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
The former premier was apprehended on the grounds of the IHC, where he had attended for the hearing of two cases including incitement of mutiny and violence against PML-N leader Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha.
According to a Reuters witness, immediately after Imran reached the IHC gate, paramilitary forces and armoured personnel carriers followed.
The judge remarked that he was exercising "restraint," adding that if the Islamabad IGP did not come in court, he would call Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Justice Farooq directed that the court be informed as soon as possible about who was behind the PTI chief's detention and why he had been detained.
The judge went on to say that action would be done, "even if it meant going after ministers."
As the hearing continued, the Islamabad police chief emerged in court, escorted by the interior secretary and an assistant attorney general.
The judge expressed his disgust that they had arrived at the court after 45 minutes, a half-hour delay.
The Islamabad police commander said in court that he learned of the PTI president's detention via the media.
He went on to say that Imran had been arrested in connection with corrupt practises and that the PTI chief's arrest warrant had been filed to the court.
As far as Justice Farooq was aware, the PTI head had not been detained by the NAB.
He went on to say that if the arrest was illegal, he was going to issue an appropriate order.
Barrister Gohar Khan, who was with Imran at the time of his detention, testified in court that he was with him when the PTI head was picked up by security agents.
He went on to say that Rangers were attempting to arrest the PTI leader before he even reached the biometric room.
He stated that Rangers soldiers used pepper spray and busted down glass.
The lawyer insisted that the paramilitary force had struck Imran with a rod and that he was prepared to provide his statement to the IHC for this reason.
Gohar also stated that Rangers troops had hit the damaged leg of the PTI leader.
PTI lawyer Khawaja Haris claimed that the detention was an attack on judicial independence.
The judge questioned whether the arrest was lawful, seeing the episode as an attack on judicial independence.
"Lawyers have been targeted. My court has been targeted. "I was attacked," the IHC CJ stated.
Justice Farooq was outraged by the arrest that was taking on within the IHC.
The extra attorney general contended that the parking lot and other locations of the IHC were interchangeable with the courtroom.
The IHC CJ then summoned the director general of the NAB Rawalpindi and its prosecutor general, asking them to appear in court within 30 minutes.
The Islamabad police chief responded positively, stating that he was aware of the arrest warrant.
The judge enquired whether Fawad Chaudhry and other PTI officials have received similar arrest orders.
The NAB officer said that he was not aware of any such warrants.
The IHC CJ stated that if Imran's arrest was unlawful, he must be released.
He did, however, emphasise that if the arrest was valid, the processes would proceed in accordance with the law.
The decision was later reserved by the judge. He went on to say that a suitable order will be issued shortly.
Prior to his court hearing, Imran instructed Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) to "listen carefully" as he blamed a senior military officer for his assassination attempts.
The former prime minister slammed the military's media wing a day after the Pakistan Army attacked Imran, claiming he made a "highly irresponsible and baseless allegation" against a sitting senior military official without providing any proof.
"Before I go, I'd want to say two things. "First, the ISPR issued a statement saying that the institution and the army have been disrespected by naming an officer who has tried to have me killed twice," Imran stated in a video message before his court hearing today.
"ISPR sahib, pay close attention. Respect should be extended to all citizens, not just one institution." (With assistance from agencies)
