- NAB team led by a Deputy Director takes ex-premier, his spouse into custody at Adiala Jail
- PTI condemns arrest, saying NAB should be ashamed for completely destroying its credibility, illegal activities
ISLAMABAD: Hours after the acquittal in Nikah in Iddat case on Saturday, incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, and his spouse Bushra Bibi, were arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in a fresh Toshakhana reference.
A NAB team, headed by Deputy Director Mohsin Haroon, arrived at Adiala Jail where ex-premier Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were taken into custody under a new Toshakhana reference. The NAB team also recorded the PTI founder’s and his wife’s initial statements.
The NAB team did not reveal further details of the new reference.
The bureau team stated that after completing the legal formalities, they formally arrested Imran Khan and his wife.
According to NAB officials who sought anonymity, Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were arrested in connection with a new Toshakhana reference, which alleges that the couple had obtained gifts from the gift repository (Toshkhana) at low prices and sold them at higher rates.
Earlier, a team investigating the May 9 cases registered in Lahore had also arrived at Adiala Jail, indicating the possibility of further arrests of the PTI founder in those cases.
On the other hand, the Anti-Terrorism Court Lahore has accepted the request to arrest Imran Khan in May 9 cases. The police pleaded with the court that the arrest was essential to interrogate Imran Khan in three cases of May 9 in jail.
The ATC approved the request to arrest Imran Khan and interrogate him in the three cases of May 9 in jail.
The development came after the Additional District and Sessions Court Islamabad accepted the appeals of former prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi against their conviction in the Nikah Iddat case.
The couple was sentenced to seven years in prison with a fine of Rs500,000 each, in February earlier this year after a trial court found their nikah to be fraudulent.
The verdict clears the last existing legal hurdle keeping the deposed prime minister in jail. His sentences in the two Toshakhana cases were suspended while he was acquitted by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in the Cypher case.
However on July 10, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore dismissed pre-arrest bail petitions of Imran Khan in three cases of May 9 riots, including one registered over an attack on the residence of the Lahore corps commander.
A team of Lahore police, led by Superintendent of Police (SP), also reached Adiala Jail to interrogate Imran Khan in May 9 cases.
The team, including investigation officers, obtained permission from the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi to conduct the probe.
According to sources, the police will arrest PTI leaders and workers after completing the investigation. It emerged that Khan’s arrest was not declared in the May 9, 2023, riots cases.
Meanwhile, the PTI condemned the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) over the arrest Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi in a new Toshakhana case.
In a statement, the party spokesperson said: “NAB should be ashamed of themselves for completely destroying their credibility, and for carrying out illegal activities!
“After the most disgusting case, they now want to arrest Bushra Bibi in another bogus case!”
The party called on the courts to take notice of the matter.
On the other hand, PTI lawyer Naeem Haider Panjutha said the release orders were given to the Adiala Jail personnel and the party was waiting.
He said the party had filed petitions in the Lahore High Court against the ATC’s dismissal of Imran’s pre-arrest bail pleas.
