Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan arrested; section 144 imposed in Islamabad

Former Pakistan Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan has been arrested by Rangers in the Al-Qadir Trust case, Pakistan's Dawn reported on Tuesday. He was arrested from outside the Islamabad High Court (IHC). Pakistan's noted journalist Hamid Mir said just a few moments before the arrest, Imran Khan was waiting for biometrics in the IHC. "His lawyer Barrister Gohar Khan told me that Rangers arrested Khan during the biometrics process. Gohar claimed that Rangers pushed him first and then arrested Khan very violently," he said. 

Islamabad High Court CJ Justice Amer Farooq took notice of the arrest of Imran Khan on NAB (National Accountability Bureau) warrants by Rangers and summoned the Islamabad police chief and the interior ministry secretary. According to Dawn, the IHC CJ said that he was showing “restraint” and warned that he would “summon” the prime minister if the Islamabad police chief did not appear before the court. "Come to court and tell us why has Imran been arrested and in which case," Justice Farooq said.

The development comes just days after Imran Khan accused a serving senior intelligence officer of involvement in the assassination attempt against him in Wazirabad. The charges were rejected by the army but Khan doubled down on the allegations in a video message on Tuesday. 

PTI's Shireen Mazari slammed the Shehbaz Sharif government for arresting Khan from the court premises. She shared a video in which police personnel can be seen breaking glasses to enter the premise to arrest the former prime minister. "State terrorism - breaking into IHC premises to abduct Imran Khan from court premises. Law of the jungle in operation. Rangers beat the lawyers, used violence on Imran Khan and abducted him."

In another tweet, Mazari claimed that lawyers and court staff were also beaten by rangers. "What laws? Courts attacked by Rangers as if invading an occupied land - lawyers & IHC staff also beaten. This is Pakistan today - a fascist State where High Court has been attacked by paramilitary forces," she said.

PTI leader and former minister Fawad Hussain said: "Imran Khan has been abducted from Court premises, scores of lawyers and general people have been tortured, Imran Khan has been whisked away by unknown people to an unknown location, CJ Islamabad High Court has ordered Secy interior and IG police to appear within 15 min in the court."

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that Imran Khan had failed to appear before the court despite being issued several notices. "The arrest has been conducted by the National Accountability Bureau for causing losses to the national treasury,” he said. The Islamabad police said no violence was done to any individual and section 144 has been imposed in the city. 

Sharing a video, PTI Hafizabad said: "Rangers abducted PTI Chairman Imran Khan, these are the visuals. Pakistan’s brave people must come out and defend their country." 
 

In a video posted on Twitter, PTI leader Musarrat Cheema said: "They are torturing Imran Khan right now...they are beating Khan sahib. They have done something with Khan sahib."

The PTI said that Imran Khan’s lawyer was badly injured inside the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC). "Black day for our democracy and country," the party said on Twitter.

Imran Khan’s lawyer badly injured inside the premises of IHC. Black day for our democracy and country. pic.twitter.com/iQ8xWsXln7