Islamabad (Web Desk): The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday took up a petition challenging the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) Chairman and former premier Imran Khan from the premises of Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, is hearing the plea.
On Wednesday The PTI had filed a petition in the top court challenging the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) decision calling Imran Khan’s arrest by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) “legal”.
Earlier, the petition was returned to the PTI after registrar's office attached objections to the plea.
The registrar's office stated that the PTI chief did not approach the relevant forum, adding that he could file an intra-court appeal.
It further stated that the petition did not have the signatures of the PTI chief.
But, later on Wednesday, the PTI addressed the objections of the registrar's office and it was accepted for a hearing.
At the outset of the hearing today, one of Imran’s lawyers, Hamid Khan informed the top court that his client had approached the IHC seeking a pre-arrest bail.
The lawyer said that the PTI chief was in the process of getting his biometrics done when he was arrested. “Rangers misbehaved with Imran Khan and arrested him,” the lawyer said.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former premier Imran Khan has been arrested by Rangers in Islamabad.
The PTI chief was arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust case from the IHC premises where he appeared to seek bail in multiple FIRs registered against him.
IHC Chief Justice (CJ) Aamer Farooq took notice of the incident and summoned Inspector General (IG) Islamabad Police, the secretary interior and additional attorney general.
He has directed to inform immediately who was behind the arrest and in what case has Imran been arrested in.
The IHC CJ maintained that action will be taken, "even if it has to be taken against ministers".
Justice Aamer Farooq, who had raised questions over the Rangers' move to arrest Khan from the court's premises earlier in the day, announced the reserved verdict.
Later, the IHC termed the arrest of the PTI chairman "legal" in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
The IHC also issued notices to the Islamabad inspector general of police and the interior secretary over contempt of court.
The chief justice ordered the high court registrar to get a first information report (FIR) registered over the circumstances of the arrest, which included manhandling the lawyers present nearby as well as damage to the court building.
He also instructed the registrar to conduct an inquiry and submit a report by May 16.
