Imran Khan | Pakistan’s SC directs NAB to ‘present Imran Khan in court within an hour’

Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday ordered the anti-corruption watchdog to produce former Prime Minister Imran Khan within an hour. With this, the court noted that the agency had committed “contempt of court” by entering the court premises and arresting Khan without permission from the registrar. A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Athar Minallah issued the direction. The bench was hearing a plea against the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party chairman Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust case. During the hearing, the bench expressed displeasure over the manner in which Khan, 70, was arrested from the premises of the Islamabad High Court. Also read According to Dawn newspaper, the Chief Justice asked, “If 90 people enter the premises, what is the dignity of the court? How can a person be arrested from the court premises?” He said, “In the past, action has been taken against lawyers for vandalism inside the court. What is the point of arresting a person if he has surrendered in the court?” He said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has committed “contempt of court”. “The bureau should have taken permission from the registrar of the court before arresting. Court staff were also misbehaved.” The bench directed the NAB to produce Khan at 4.30 pm (local time). Court proceedings will resume at that time.