Imran Khan Arrested: All About Al-Qadir Trust Case in which Former Pak PM is Facing Corruption Charges

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan’s dramatic arrest in a corruption case on Tuesday has prompted widespread protests by his supporters across the country. The cricketer-turned-politician was arrested by Pakistani Rangers in the Al-Qadir Trust case, with charges framed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Here’s all you need to know about the case:

1. The NAB inquiry is related to a settlement between the former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and property tycoon Malik Riaz, which reportedly caused a loss of 190 million pounds to the national exchequer.
2. Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, and close aides Zulfiqar Bukhari and Babar Awan formed a trust to set up the ‘Al-Qadir University’ for imparting “quality education” in Jhelum’s Sohawa tehsil.
3. According to the charges, Khan and the others allegedly adjusted 190 million pounds sent by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to the Pakistani government.
4. They are also accused of receiving undue benefits of over 458 kanal land at Mouza Bakrala in Sohawa to establish Al-Qadir University. The established insitute, however, has only enrolled 100 students two years on and is still not recognised as a university by the government in the Punjab province.
5. The company allotted land measuring 458 kanal, 4 marla, 58 sq ft to the trust and, after completing documentation required, Bushra Bibi signed the agreement effective from March 2019. Also circulating is a leaked audio of another close friend, Farah Gogi, allegedly asking for a diamond ring for Bushra Bibi.

Why was Imran Khan arrested?

The NAB has been investigating alleged corruption in the Al-Qadir Trust case since 2018, and recently summoned Imran Khan on May 6 to appear before the agency on May 11. It sent multiple notices to Khan, who did not appear for the proceedings of the case. Arrest warrants against Khan were issued on May 1 by NAB chairman Lt Gen (Retd) Nazir Ahmad Butt. The agency, in a statement, said Khan was booked under Section 9A of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999.

Khan had gone to the Islamabad High Court to seek bail in multiple FIRs registered against him when he was arrested by law enforcement agencies, a move which threatens to escalate the ongoing political crisis in the country. The Islamabad High Court summoned top officials and police officers after Khan’s arrest from the court premises but reserved its ruling. Chief Justice Aamer Farooq took notice of the arrest when the PTI chief was present at the court to mark his biometric attendance before the start of the hearing of a corruption case.

The court summoned various officials and heard arguments on the merit of the arrest and if it was legal to arrest someone present inside the court. After hearing the case, the chief justice reserved the judgment without giving a date for its announcement.

Justice Farooq initially ordered the interior secretary, inspector general police Islamabad and other officials to come and respond to the arrest within 15 minutes. He added that he was showing “restraint” in the matter and warned to summon the prime minister if the Islamabad police chief failed to appear. “Come to court and tell us why Imran has been arrested and in which case,” Justice Farooq said.

(With PTI inputs)

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