An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan on Thursday granted a five-day physical remand of former prime minister Imran Khan, who was arrested formally by police hours after his bail in a corruption case was accepted.
Khan, 72, was arrested by Rawalpindi police in the New Town police station case on Wednesday night after securing bail in the second Toshakhana case and was produced before the Anti-Terrorism Court in Adiala Jail.
The police prosecution team sought a 15-day physical remand but the court granted the five-day physical remand and ordered to continue the investigation inside the jail.
The court also rejected the PTI lawyer Salman Safdar’s plea to discharge his client from the case.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday granted Khan bail in the second Toshakhana case related to the purchase of an expensive Bulgari jewellery set at a throwaway price, igniting hopes of his release.
However, hours later, Rawalpindi police arrested him late at night in connection with a case registered at New Town Police Station on terrorism and other charges.
The police alleged that Khan, while imprisoned in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, had called for a protest in Rawalpindi on September 28.
Dawn newspaper quoted a police spokesperson as saying that Khan had been detained in the case filed on September 28 and a team has been tasked to probe the charges.
The charges include violations of the Anti-Terrorism Act, defying the government ban on public gatherings, obstructing police duty, damaging police vehicles and endangering public safety.
Even before the formal arrest in the case, federal information minister Atta Tarar doused the idea of his release, saying Khan was wanted in eight cases related to May 9, 2023 violence and should secure bail before being set free from jail.
Dawn reported that Khan needs to secure bail in nearly two dozen other cases registered across Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad before being released.
According to Islamabad police, at least 62 cases were registered against Khan in various police stations of the capital, while his PTI party said that another 54 cases were registered in Punjab province.Meanwhile, an accountability court on Wednesday held a hearing on the GBP 190 million case at the Adiala Jail and was informed that Khan and Bushra Bibi have yet to submit responses to the questionnaires issued to them.
The court granted Bibi’s request for an exemption from court appearance on medical grounds and adjourned the hearing till November 22. Separately, the Lahore High Court dismissed a plea by Khan’s sister, Noreen Niazi, seeking bail for her brother in all cases against him in Punjab and Islamabad.An assistant attorney general presented a report to the court, stating that 62 cases had been registered against Khan by the Islamabad police. After going through the report, Justice Farooq Haider turned down the request, observing that bail petitions must be filed personally by the suspect.Dozens of cases have been registered against Khan since losing power in April 2022. His party maintained that all cases were politically motivated.
PAK govt braces for Imran’s party protest
Pakistan’s government has given a nod to the deployment of paramilitary forces in the national capital from Friday to spruce up security ahead of a planned protest by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party on Sunday.
Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) gave a call last week for a long march to press for three demands: the release of the incarcerated party founder, against the alleged “stolen mandate” during February 8 elections and restoration of the judiciary by revoking the recent 26th amendment to the Constitution that granted legislators more power in appointing top judges.
The government has decided to deploy the Pakistan Rangers and Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel in Islamabad from Friday onwards under Sections 4 and 5 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
According to a notification by the Interior Ministry on Wednesday, the exact number of personnel and the date and area of their deployment would be “worked out in consultation with concerned stakeholders”, while the date of de-requisitioning of troops would be decided after mutually consulting all relevant stakeholders.
Earlier, the Islamabad police, in a letter dated November 14, had asked for the deployment of Rangers and FC personnel ahead of the PTI rally.
According to the letter, the Islamabad police chief requested 5,000 Rangers personnel and 4,000 FC personnel “in addition to the 1,000 FC personnel already provided to ICT police.”
The federal government already imposed Section 144 in the capital and banned all kinds of rallies for two months. Similarly, the Punjab government, which also exercises jurisdiction over Rawalpindi near Islamabad, placed police on high alert throughout the province.
Meanwhile, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram, briefing reporters at Peshawar, said that protest was a fundamental right. “Nobody can take it away from us,” he said, adding that governments do not threaten or bully their citizens like thugs.
He also warned to bring a sea of people to the capital on November 24 from across the country for the proposed long march to Islamabad.
Mobile and internet services are likely to remain suspended in various parts of Pakistan, particularly in Islamabad and Punjab, during the protest, ARY News reported, citing sources.
According to sources, the suspension may affect some districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Islamabad.
Sources within the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) have claimed that mobile internet services will be suspended from November 22, with firewalls activated to slow down internet speeds and impact social media apps.
The authorities may also block internet and mobile services in specific locations, depending on the situation, sources added.
In a separate development, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) presented ‘conditions’ to hold negotiations to withdraw its November 24 protest call.
The PTI demanded immediate relief for the party founder, the sources said. “In exchange for relief to its founder, the PTI is ready to call off the protest,” they added.
The party asked the government to quash all “fabricated” cases against Khan and his immediate release. “If legal proceedings delay his release, Imran Khan should be transferred to Peshawar Jail,” according to one of the conditions set by PTI.
The party also demanded the immediate release of other leaders imprisoned in various jails.
Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur said that negotiations on the November 24 protest will only be commenced after the release of PTI founder Imran Khan.
Khan, 72, has been implicated in dozens of cases since his government was dismissed through a no-confidence motion in 2022. He has been in Adiala Jail at Rawalpindi since last year facing, according to his party, over 200 cases; got bail in some of them, convicted in some others, and hearings going on for some more.
Khan’s party won the largest number of seats in the February general elections despite contesting as independents as the party was denied an election symbol and the PTI chief has already alleged that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and its coalition partners, including Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had “stolen the mandate” to grab power at the federal level.
Relations between the PTI and the PML-N-led coalition government —already tense since Khan’s ouster in 2022 — have strained even more in recent times.
