Al-Qadir Trust case: IHC directs IK to join NAB probe

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to join the investigation of the Al-Qadir Trust case, saying if the petitioner does not join the investigation then NAB can approach this court.

A division of the IHC comprising Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Saman Rafat Imtiaz on Saturday issued a 7-page written order on the interim bail given to Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust case till May 31.

The order said: “The petitioner shall participate and cooperate in the investigation and shall appear before the investigation officer as and when required.” “In the event the petition obstructs the process of investigation, the investigation officer would be at liberty to apply to this court to recall the interim order.

The order said the investigation officer told the court that Imran was not asked about any documents. He said several questions were asked from Imran during the investigation.

The order further said that the Advocate General and Additional Attorney General argued that since Article 245 has been invoked, so Imran Khan could not get relief.

The court said that this position of the Advocate General and Additional Attorney is aggressive, and it means that they want to usurp the fundamental rights which are the basis of a democratic and Islamic state. It cannot be imagined that a responsible government will create this obstruction in the access to justice for the citizens.

The court issued a notice to the Attorney General for Pakistan directing him to assist the court on the matter of access to the court while Article 245 is in force and it has sought his assistance on the important constitutional points.

The Islamabad High Court said the Advocate General and the Additional Attorney General also raised the objection of the relevant forum being the accountability court. Imran Khan was presented to the high court on the orders of the Supreme Court. The objection of the Advocate General and the Additional Attorney General is not correct.

The high court has the jurisdiction to hear this case under Section 561-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the court ruling said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023