Thursday May 11, 2023
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday heard a petition by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) challenging the arrest of party chief Imran Khan.
The case is being heard by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar.
A day earlier, the PTI had filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ruling that declared the arrest of party chief Imran Khan by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) as "legal".
Initially, the petition was returned to PTI after the registry attached objections to the plea.
Matrika said the PTI chief did not approach the relevant forum saying that he can file an internal appeal.
It further said that the petition does not have the PTI chief's signatures.
But later on Wednesday, PTI took up the registrar's objections and it was accepted for discussion.
After Khan's arrest on Tuesday inside the IHC, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi convened an emergency meeting of the seven-member committee to review the situation and devise a comprehensive strategy to ensure the safe and early release of the party chairman.
A PTI leader announced the party's plan to move the apex court.
IHC finds Imran Khan's arrest 'legal' in Al-Qadir Trust case
On Tuesday, the IHC termed the PTI chairman's arrest "legal" in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq - who had raised questions about the Rangers' move to arrest Khan from the court building earlier in the day - announced the reserved verdict.
The IHC also issued notices to the Islamabad Inspector General of Police and the Interior Minister for contempt of court.
The chief justice directed the high court registrar to register a first information report (FIR) about the circumstances surrounding the arrest, which included tampering with lawyers present nearby and damaging the court building.
He further directed the registrar to conduct an inquiry and submit a report by May 16.
Khan, who has been involved in dozens of pending cases since his impeachment last year, was arrested on the High Court premises when he appeared before the court in two cases.
It came hours after the former international cricketer was reprimanded by the military for allegedly involving a senior officer in a plot to kill him.
