Islamabad: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan found himself back in legal crosshairs as he was arrested in relation to the assault on the Pakistan Army headquarters in Rawalpindi on May 9. The arrest came swiftly after the issuance of his release warrant in the cipher case.
Imran Khan, already detained in cipher and graft cases, was summoned by an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi regarding the May 9 incident. Due to security reasons, Khan joined the court proceedings via video link from Adiala jail, unable to be physically present.
During the hearing, law enforcement sought Khan's physical remand in the GHQ attack case, but the ATC Judge Malik Aijaz Asif denied the request, instructing authorities to conduct the interrogation within Adiala prison.
A release order had been issued in the cipher case by a special court under the Official Secrets Act. However, despite this order, Khan remains incarcerated due to his involvement in the Toshakhana and 190 million pound Al-Qadir Trust scandal.
The aftermath of Khan's arrest on May 9, 2023, saw violent protests across Islamabad, resulting in damage to over 20 military installations and state buildings, including the Rawalpindi army headquarters. These events compounded difficulties for Khan's party.
Imran Khan and his party members have been entangled in multiple legal battles since their removal from power in April 2022, with Khan himself ousted through a vote of no-confidence. Initially sentenced to three years in prison in the Toshakhana case, his sentence was temporarily suspended by the Islamabad High Court. However, subsequent arrests in other cases led to his continued detention, currently held in Adiala jail.
—Input from Agencies
