ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Tuesday warned supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan against taking the law into their own hands, as protests broke out in various parts of the country following his arrest.
Khan, who had traveled from Lahore to Pakistan’s capital, was arrested at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) where he arrived to attend hearings for two cases. The arrest was related to a third case, relating to the Al-Qadir Trust reference, which involves the purchase and transfer of land for a university in Punjab province. It is being probed by anti-corruption watchdog the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Khan was swiftly taken away by the paramilitary Rangers personnel in a black Vigo from the court premises during Tuesday afternoon. The arrest takes place a day after Pakistan’s powerful military slammed Khan for leveling allegations against a senior intelligence official whom the former premier accused of attempting to murder him.
Following his arrest, scores of PTI supporters took to the streets from Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi to its capital in Islamabad, burning tires, chanting anti-government slogans as they demanded Khan’s release.
“I have instructed all provincial chief secretaries to deal strictly with those who create law and order situations or block roads as no one will be allowed to do so,” Sanaullah told reporters during a press conference.
Sanaullah said Khan supporters resisted when Rangers personnel arrested him. However, he said law enforcers managed to take him into custody.
“Rangers are deployed under the command of Inspector General police and Islamabad administration for the security of the Red Zone and the IHC building,” the minister said.
He added that NAB asked Rangers for help in case the law-and-order situation deteriorates further. Sanaullah said the situation is under control.
The minister distanced the government from Khan’s arrest, saying that NAB is an independent body. “There are dozens of cases against Imran Khan including many corruption inquiries in NAB but this arrest was done under the Al-Qadir University Trust case,” he said.
Sanaullah spoke about the details of the case, disclosing that the UK government had recovered about £190 million from property tycoon Malik Riaz after probing him for money laundering.
“Under the law, these £190 million— equal to Rs60 billion— belonged to the people of Pakistan and should have been submitted in the national treasury,” Sanaullah said, lamenting that it was not done so.
“Khan is involved in corruption through Al-Qadir Trust as he and his family are trustees of Al-Qadir Trust. Property acquired in the name of Al-Qadir Trust included a 458 kanal property in Suhawa and 240 kanal in Bani Gala,” he alleged.
Jawad Taqi, a spokesperson of Islamabad Police, said Section 144—which deals with the ban on public gatherings—has been imposed in the capital city, adding that no one would be allowed to violate it.
“After the arrest, the situation in Islamabad is normal so far with few roadblocks which police is trying to vacate as soon as possible so that the public should not be affected by it,” he told Arab News, adding that action will be taken against violators of the law.
Usama Khawar, a legal expert, said it seems unlikely Khan will be granted bail immediately as certain procedures take time.
“Now that he has been arrested, it is hard to get bail immediately until Islamabad High Court gives some extraordinary order,” Khawar told Arab News.
He said Khan will have to endure a period of physical remand which NAB would secure from an accountability court within 24 hours.
“He will be able to get bail once he is given judicial remand, so it will take time, at least a few days. His immediate release is not possible under the normal procedure,” he added.
Every case needs a separate bail, Khawar explained, adding that Khan has been unable to get bail in the Al-Qadir Trust case in which he has been arrested.
“There is no legal precedent that an accused is given blanket bail in all cases,” he added.
Former NAB prosecutor Imran Shafiq said under NAB’s laws, anti-corruption watchdog will present Khan at the accountability court. There, he said, NAB would secure his physical remand.
“Under the new NAB law, maximum remand can be up to 30 days in different phases, after that he will have to be given judicial remand and he can get bail as well,” Shafiq said.
He added that ironically, Khan would be the first major beneficiary of the new NAB law which he had challenged in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Political analyst Aasiya Riaz said Khan’s arrest would increase political turmoil in Pakistan and could also hamper the ongoing negotiations between the government and Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.
“Political turmoil would certainly increase given that a negotiation process was underway between parties on a consensus date for the general election for all assemblies,” she told Arab News.
