Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, has been arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in connection to the Al-Qadir Trust and Toshakhana gifts cases. This comes after Khan’s previous imprisonment in the cipher case. The decision to arrest him was ratified by an accountability court judge, who then directed the Adiala Jail superintendent to execute the arrest warrants.
The NAB team carried out the arrest through the Adiala Jail superintendent in Rawalpindi. As a result, Khan is now arrested in both the Al-Qadir Trust and Toshakhana cases. While in jail, he will be investigated by an NAB team after obtaining his physical remand from a court of law.
Imran Khan, a 71-year-old former cricketer turned politician, has been detained in the Adiala Jail since August in relation to the cipher case. Now, the arrest in the Al-Qadir Trust case revolves around the settlement of 190 million pounds sent to Pakistan by the UK’s National Crime Agency. Rather than depositing the amount in the national treasury, Khan, being the Prime Minister at the time, allowed a Pakistani property tycoon to use it partially to settle a fine imposed by the Supreme Court. Reports suggest that as a result, the tycoon gifted about 57 acres of land to a trust established by Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to establish the Al-Qadir University.
During the court hearing on Monday, the judge inquired about the status of Khan’s pleas to revive his bail petitions in the two cases. The NAB prosecutor informed the court that the petitions were pending in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and no restraining order had been issued so far.
Apart from the Al-Qadir Trust case, an arrest warrant was also issued for Imran Khan in the Toshakhana gifts case, which is separate from the case he was convicted in and subsequently granted bail for in August. This case was filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan, accusing Khan of hiding the proceeds of sale from the gifts he received from the Toshakhana.
Imran Khan’s arrest in these two cases further complicates his legal situation. The former Prime Minister now faces inquiries and investigations into alleged financial irregularities while serving in office. The NAB’s actions continue to draw attention, as they tackle corruption cases involving prominent political figures in Pakistan. With Khan’s arrest, the country now awaits the outcome of these investigations and their potential impact on his political career.
