Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, currently serving time in Adiala Jail in connection with the cipher case, has faced additional legal complications. Pakistan's top anti-corruption office, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), arrested Khan in relation to the Al-Qadir Trust case and the Toshakhana gifts case. The Accountability Court Judge Mohammad Bashir ratified the arrest warrants, leading to Khan's arrest on Monday, as reported by PTI.
The arrest in the Al-Qadir Trust case was carried out by a NAB team, led by Assistant Director Muhammad Asif and Waqarul Hasan, at the District Jail (Adiala), Rawalpindi. This development implies that Khan, the former Prime Minister and leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, is now under investigation for both the Toshakhana and Al-Qadir cases. The NAB team is set to conduct an inquiry while Khan remains in jail, following the acquisition of his physical remand through legal channels.
The Al-Qadir Trust case revolves around the settlement of £190 million (approximately Rs 50 billion), sent to Pakistan by the UK's National Crime Agency after recovering the amount from a Pakistani property tycoon. During Khan's tenure as Prime Minister, instead of depositing the funds into the national treasury, he permitted the tycoon to utilize the amount to settle a fine imposed by the Supreme Court. In return, the businessman reportedly gifted about 57 acres of land to a trust established by Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, for the creation of Al-Qadir University in the Jhelum district of Punjab.
In addition to the ongoing legal challenges, the court had previously issued an arrest warrant for Khan in the Toshakhana gifts case. This case, distinct from the one leading to his August arrest, was filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan for concealing the proceeds from gifts received through the Toshakhana. While Khan was initially arrested in August, he was later granted bail in that particular case.
During Monday's hearing, the judge inquired about the status of Khan's bail petitions related to these cases. The NAB prosecutor informed the court that the pleas were pending in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) with no restraining order issued thus far. The court, responding to NAB's request, issued the arrest warrants, directing the superintendent of Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, to ensure compliance with the arrest order.
