Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan was arrested under a warrant issued over a week ago, however, apparently Khan and his associate didn’t know about its existence.
A copy of the warrants available with Aaj News shows that it was issued on May 1, 20223.
Although PTI sources say they did not know about the warrants, government officials it was known to the political party.
According to Aaj News Islamadb Bureau Chief Tariq Chaudhry, the federal interior minister and Islamabad police chief say that warrant had been sent to Khan’s Lahore and Islamabad residences and he had ample opportunity to appear before the accountability body.
The warrant says Khan “is accused of commission of offense of corruption and corrupt practices under section 9(a) of National Accountability Ordinance 199 and Schedule.”
The warrant issued by the Chairman NAB, Lt. Gen (retd) Nazir Ahmed, said that Imran Khan “shall be produced before the court for authorization of detention for such period as may be necessary for the finalization of the inquiry investigation.”
The Al Qadir Trust case involves the allotment of a vast tract of land in favor of Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi near Islamabad.
Shortly after Khan’s arrest, the Islamabad Inspector General of POlice said that that the PTI chief had been moved to a NAB office.
The IGP also said that Khan was shown the warrant before being arrested.
Khan will undergo medical a check up later in the day and will be produced before a NAB court within 24 hours.
The NAB will be seeking a 14-day physical remand to interrogate the former prime minister, sources told AAj News.
There were reports that following Khan’s arrest a team of law enforcement agencies head to Khan’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore.