On January 9, 2024, the former Prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan Niazi, was arrested in a cased related to the attack on the Pakistani Army headquarters in Rawalpindi which took place on May 8, 2023, soon after his arrest warrant was issued in the cipher case.
ATC Summon
An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi has summoned the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf leader who is already behind the bars in cipher and graft cases, including the very famous Toshakhana case. However, Khan attended the court proceedings via video link as he could not be present in the court by the Adalia jail authorities owing to security reasons and concerns.
During the hearing of cases, the police sought physical remand of the 71-year-old PTI founder in the General Headquarters Attack Case. However, the ATC judge Malik Aijaz Asif turned down the request, Geo news reported. The judge directed the police to interrogate Khan in Adiala prison, it added.
On January 8, 2024, the special court formed the cases under the Official Secrets Act had issued release orders in the cipher case. Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain issued the release order of Khan stating that the former’s bail had been approved and he should be released if not wanted in any other case. Despite the release order, Khan remains inside jail (behind the bars) due to being arrested in the Toshakhana case and the 19-million-pound Al-Qadir trust scandal.
The Incident in Rawalpindi
On May 9, 2023, violent protests emerged and erupted after the arrest of Khan by the paramilitary forces, i.e., Rangers in Islamabad. Over 20 military installations and state buildings, including the army headquarters in Rawalpindi were torched and damaged in the violent protests that followed Khan’s arrest in a corruption case. The party ran into trouble after the May 9 caused by its supporters.
Khan and several other party members have been facing numerous cases since the ouster of the party from power in April 2022 and later in the wake of the May 9 violence. Khan was ousted out through a vote of no-confidence in April 2022 and was also incarcerated on August 5, 2023, after an Islamabad court sentenced him to three years in prison in the Toshakhana case.
He was lodged in Attock Jail to serve his prison term. Later, his sentence was suspended by the Islamabad High Court but was then arrested in the cipher case and remained in Attock Jail on judicial remand. He was late shifted to Adiala Jail.
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