Imran Khan was whisked away on Tuesday by Pakistan’s paramilitary forces on the orders of National Accountability Bureau officials who barged into a room in the Islamabad High Court. (AP/File)
The Pakistan Supreme Court found that the anti-corruption watchdog committed “contempt of court” by entering the court premises and arresting Imran Khan without permission from the court’s registrar.
Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the country’s anti-corruption watchdog National Accountability Bureau to produce former Prime Minister Imran Khan within an hour.
It observed that the agency committed “contempt of court” by entering the court premises and arresting him without the permission of the registrar of the court.
The direction was issued by a three-member bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Athar Minallah, which was hearing a petition against the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman in the Al-Qadir Trust case. It was Tuesday
“What is the dignity of the court if 90 people enter its premises? How can a person be arrested from the court premises?” was quoted as saying by the Chief Justice dawn Newspaper.
“In the past, action has been taken against lawyers for vandalism inside the court,” he said. “If a person has surrendered in court, what is the point of arresting them?” The top judge said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had committed “contempt of court”.
He should have taken permission from the registrar of the court before arrest. The court staff were also subjected to abuse,” he said.
The bench directed the NAB to produce Khan by 4.30 pm (local time), when the court would resume sitting.