SC terms Imran Khan’s arrest from IHC premises unlawful

Liaquat Ali

Islamabad: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday termed the arrest of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan from the Islamabad High Court’s premises in the Al-Qadir Trust case unlawful and directed him to appear before the IHC on Friday (today).

Earlier in the day, the three-member SC bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Athar Minallah had ordered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to produce the PTI chairman before it within an hour.

At the outset of the hearing, the court ordered the police to keep Imran Khan at the Police Lines Guest House and also directed the Inspector General of Police Islamabad to ensure his security.

The chief justice called the PTI chairman to the rostrum and said there had been incidents of violence after his arrest and the court wanted peace in the country.

He said when a person came to the court of law, it meant that he had surrendered himself before the court.

Subsequently, the court termed PTI Chief Imran Khan’s arrest unlawful, asking him to approach the IHC on Friday.