17 May,2023 02:14 PM IST | Islamabad | mid-day online correspondent
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, File Photo/AFP
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has extended its order to prevent the arrest of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in cases filed against him after May 9. The extension is effective until May 31.
Last week, an IHC bench accepted Imran's bail petition in the Al-Qadir Trust case for two weeks, a day after the Supreme Court termed his arrest in the case "invalid and unlawful".
It had also stopped authorities from arresting the PTI chief until May 17 in any case registered in Islamabad after May 9 - the day of his arrest.
Today, Dawn Newspaper reported, Imran's lawyer, Barrister Gohar, represented him in court today. Additional Attorney General Munawar Dugal, Advocate General Islamabad Jahangir Jadoon and state counsel were also present.
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The case was heard by Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb.
The government's counsel requested more time to provide information about the cases filed against the PTI chief. The court granted the request and adjourned the hearing until May 31.
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Imran was arrested from the court premises by the Pakistan army rangers on May 9, leading to violent protests across the country. The PTI chief had immediately approached the high court for release but it had declared his arrest legal.
The former premier's lawyer, Barrister Ali Zafar, then petitioned the SC on his behalf for Imran's release.
Subsequently, the Supreme Court on Thursday termed Imran's arrest in the Al-Qadir Trust case "unlawful" and directed him to appear before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) a day later.
"The manner of execution of the arrest warrant issued by the Chairman, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) dated 01.05.2023 in the Al-Qadir Trust case within the premises of the Islamabad High Court against the petitioner is invalid and unlawful," the ruling had said.
The top court had also highlighted that the fundamental rights of the petitioner under Articles 4, 9, 10-A and 14 of the Constitution had been infringed.
