Imran Khan | Imran Khan’s appearance in the special court; Anti-corruption regulator requests 14-day remand
File Photo Islamabad. Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, arrested in a corruption case, was on Wednesday produced before a special court in the capital Islamabad amid tight police security. Meanwhile, the anti-corruption regulator requested to send Imran to 14-day remand. Imran was arrested on Tuesday by the country’s paramilitary forces on the orders of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) when he was present at the Islamabad High Court for a hearing in a corruption case. Following the arrest of former cricketer Imran (70), his party supporters staged massive protests across the country. The New Police Guest House in the Police Line Headquarters complex, located in Sector H-11/1 area of Islamabad, was declared a special court complex for the purpose of hearing two cases against Imran. The first of these is related to the Al-Qadir Trust, which allegedly caused a loss of over $50 billion to the exchequer of Pakistan. Imran was arrested in the same case on Tuesday. He was produced before the Special Accountability Court presided over by Justice Muhammad Basheer on Wednesday. Justice Bashir is the same judge who convicted former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam of corruption in connection with properties in London. However, Maryam was later acquitted by the Islamabad High Court, while Nawaz’s case is still sub judice as he has failed to appear in court. At the beginning of the hearing, NAB’s lawyers requested the court to grant them 14-day custody to investigate the allegations against Imran. However, Imran’s counsel opposed the NAB’s plea and sought immediate release of his client. Also read He claimed that the allegations leveled against Imran are false and fabricated. Justice Basheer took a brief break after the initial hearing. His decision is likely to come after the resumption of hearing. Imran will also be produced in the district and sessions court on Wednesday in the Toshakhana case. The case is based on allegations of concealment of income earned by the former Prime Minister from the sale of official gifts. Geo News quoted sources as saying that a medical report submitted to NAB declared Imran completely healthy. The report also said that the former prime minister did not complain of any pain or discomfort to the doctors examining him. However, elaborate security arrangements have been made to prevent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Party (PTI) workers and supporters from gathering around the court premises. Even media and top PTI leaders like Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Asad Umar were not allowed to attend the hearing. (agency)