Pakistan's Supreme Court declares Imran Khan's arrest illegal; orders to 'release' him immediately
Pakistan, May 11: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday declared Imran Khan’s arrest as illegal. The ruling came barely minutes after the former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman was presented for his hearing before the top court.
The court has also ordered the authorities to release Khan immediately, according to Geo TV
Before the security contingent arrived with Imran ahead of his court hearing, the 'Red Zone' was already buzzing with law enforcement personnel.
The Supreme Court had directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to produce Imran before it by 4:30 p.m. However, he was produced at around 5:40 pm, more than an hour later.
The PTI leader was carried in a 15-vehicle convoy.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court slammed the manner in which Imran was arrested. Chief Justice Bandial said that the permission to arrest the former prime minister was not taken from Islamabad High Court.
According to the media reports, the former Pakistan PM was ordered to appear in court after Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial. The CJP described the PTI leader's detention from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) premises as a mighty disgrace to the country's legal system.
The CJP made the remark while presiding over a three-judge bench hearing the PTI's appeal against Khan's arrest. In addition to the Chief Justice of Pakistan, the bench includes Justices Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Athal Minallah.
According to ARY News, PTI filed a plea in the Supreme Court a day earlier appealing the Islamabad High Court's (IHC) judgement deeming Khan's arrest by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) "legal."
Khan was arrested on Tuesday inside the Islamabad High Court premises while appearing in two cases.
Pakistan has been in a state of upheaval since Khan's arrest. Several protests have erupted around the country, as the PTI has asked its workers to show their support for Imran Khan.
- PTC NEWS
