- IHC grants post-arrest bail to Imran Khan, citing “reasonable grounds” and calling for a “holistic” inquiry into allegations.
- Bench questions transparency of £171m transaction, stating “proceeds of corruption” should be in government accounts.
- Former PM acquitted in Azadi March case; PTI alleges Adiala ban aims to keep party founder from Supreme Court.
ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been in jail for nearly nine months on multiple charges, is set to appear before the Supreme Court via video link as a petitioner in a case concerning changes to the NAB law. This comes a day after two courts in the federal capital granted him relief in separate cases, including the Al-Qadir Trust case.
Court Rulings and Acquittals:
- Judicial Magistrate Suhaib Bilal Ranjha acquitted Khan in a case related to the Azadi March in 2022, which involved violations of Section 144.
- This marks Khan’s first Supreme Court appearance since his August arrest and Toshakhana case conviction, despite the law minister’s reservations about the Supreme Court’s order.
PTI’s Concerns:
- PTI claims the visitor ban at Adiala Jail is intended to prevent Khan from participating in Supreme Court proceedings as ordered by a five-member bench.
- On Wednesday, a high court division led by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri granted Khan bail in the £190 million case, stating that the allegations required further inquiry.
- The court allowed bail with a surety bond of Rs1 million.
NAB Allegations:
- The NAB reference alleges Khan’s cabinet approved the transfer of £190m repatriated by the UK’s National Crime Agency into the Supreme Court account to pay Bahria Town’s liabilities.
- In its 12-page order, the court questioned the transparency of the transaction, noting the money was either laundered or illegally transferred and hidden from the public.
- The IHC directed the trial court to examine the evidence comprehensively to establish the facts.
Judicial Observations:
- Justice Farooq clarified the amount transmitted from the UK to Pakistan was approximately £171.15m after deductions.
- The legal framework agreement between Malik Riaz’s family and the NCA was not on record, and the Pakistani government signed the confidentiality deed in November 2019, but its sanction was obtained in December 2019, lacking retrospective approval.
International Protocols:
- The IHC supported NAB’s stance that the money should have been transferred to the government’s account and noted provisions under the UN Charter for Prevention of Corruption mandate remitting crime proceeds to states.
PTI’s Allegations on Adiala Ban:
- PTI leaders claim the Adiala Jail visitor ban is part of a plan to prevent Khan from appearing via video link in the Supreme Court for the NAB amendments case.
- PTI spokesperson Raoof Hasan expressed concerns about Khan’s wellbeing, citing the denial of court-ordered medical tests and changes in his security guards.
- The PTI also noted hearing postponements in the Al-Qadir Trust, cipher, and Toshakhana cases, and the sudden departure of the government counsel in the Iddat case.
