Imran Khan's arrest undermines judicial dignity: CJP

Islamabad: Supreme Court of Pakistan is Thursday hearing the petition filed against the arrest of Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan.

The arrest of Imran Khan was challenged in the Supreme Court yesterday in which PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry filed a petition in the court.

The plea took the stand that the arrest of Imran is illegal. The verdict of Islamabad High Court (IHC) declaring the arrest of Imran Khan as legal should be annulled and an order should be given to present Imran Khan before the court.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Atta Bandial comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Athar Minullah is conducting the hearing.

At the beginning of the hearing, Imran’s lawyer Hamid Khan argued that his client had come to IHC for pre-arrest bail, while doing biometrics Rangers broke the door of the room and entered, abused and arrested him.

Justice Athar Manullah remarked that the issue of the sanctity of the High Court will also be looked into by the Supreme Court.

He added: “We have to look at the right to access to justice. Every citizen has the right to access to justice”.

Whatever is happening in the country due to the political situation is very upsetting, stated Athar.

Chief Justice said that where has the sanctity of the court gone by arresting from the court.

According to the records, the case that was scheduled was probably some other, when 90 people entered the court premises, what was the respect of the court, he questioned

Justice Umar remarked that National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has insulted the court, no one will consider himself safe in the court afterwards.

He continued no one can be arrested from the High Court, Supreme Court or Accountability Court, “judicial dignity has been undermined by the arrest of Imran Khan”.

Justice Athar also remarked that NAB has been doing the same acts with different people for many years, if arrests start taking place like this, no one will trust the courts in future.

Chief Justice Pakistan said that NAB will review the compliance of the warrant and not its legality, what happened after the arrest of Imran Khan should have stopped.

Justice Athar asked Imran Khan's lawyers what they want from the Supreme Court. On this, Hamid Khan said that the Supreme Court should order the release of Imran Khan.

In the latest proceeding, court has ordered to present Imran Khan before the at 4:30pm.