Islamabad High Court division bench (IHC) approved a two-week bail for PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust case. This follows the Supreme Court’s verdict yesterday, deeming his arrest from the IHC premises “invalid and unlawful.”
The division bench, consisting of Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, presided over the bail plea hearing in courtroom No.2. The formal order detailing the case is yet to be released. Still, in the context of the Al-Qadir Trust case, Imran is now free.
Imran’s lawyers also filed four supplementary pleas, requesting the IHC to consolidate all cases against him and asking authorities to furnish details of the charges registered against him.
Initially delayed by nearly two hours due to a security sweep outside the courtroom, the hearing was halted shortly after its commencement for Friday prayers. The judges also vacated the courtroom due to the chanting of “pro-Imran” slogans.
Post 2:30 pm, the hearing resumed with Imran and his legal team present. Imran’s lawyer, Khawaja Haris, argued that the actions of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) were illegal, stating that a formal arrest warrant could only be issued once an inquiry has transitioned into an investigation.
Read: Imran Khan Appears in Islamabad High Court Following SC’s Ruling
Haris pointed out that the PTI only learned about the formal investigation against Imran through media coverage. He emphasized that Imran had sought the NAB report in the inquiry from the IHC on May 9 but was arrested before he could enter the courtroom.
During the hearing, the court queried whether a questionnaire related to the case was provided to the petitioner, to which Haris denied. He informed the court that Imran did not attend the call-up notice but submitted a written response, citing the current bias of the accountability watchdog.
The court accepted Imran’s bail plea and advised the NAB prosecutor general and Imran’s lawyers to prepare for the next hearing, where it will determine whether to cancel or extend Imran’s bail.
Read: Pakistan Supreme Court Overrules Imran Khan’s Arrest, Declares it Unlawful
In a casual discussion with reporters at the IHC, Imran stated that while NAB officials treated him fairly, he was struck on the head during his arrest. He could also not contact his wife, Bushra Bibi, and only allowed a brief conversation with her on a landline.
Regarding the violent protests following his arrest, Imran said, “How could I have stopped whatever happened? I had already told [you] that there would be a reaction to the arrest.” He expressed his shock over learning about losing 40 lives during the unrest. Imran’s arrest, he claimed, was more of an abduction and reflective of a lawless jungle, likening the situation to martial law.
