ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the arrest of party chairman Imran Khan.
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The PTI Chief was taken into custody from inside the premises of the Islamabad High Court on Tuesday while he was appearing there to seek bail before arrest in two cases. He was in the biometric verification section of the court when Rangers personnel stormed the vicinity, broke window glasses and whisked him away to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) building.
The arrest of Imran Khan has sparked protests by PTI workers across the country with at least 3 deaths reported in violent clashes. The party has called for a countrywide strike to protest against the arrest and the government’s policies.
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The government, on the other hand, has defended the arrest, saying that it was made in accordance with the law and the due process was followed. The government has also accused the PTI of trying to create chaos and destabilize the country.
The PTI, in its petition, has prayed to the Supreme Court to declare the arrest of Imran Khan as illegal and order his immediate release. The party has also urged the apex court to nullify the Islamabad High Court’s ruling declaring Imran Khan’s arrest as per law. It may be noted that the IHC had declared the arrest of Imran Khan as legal on Tuesday night.
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In addition to challenging the arrest, the PTI has also contested the relocation of accountability and district courts to the Police Lines in Islamabad High Court to hear cases against Imran Khan. The PTI Chief’s lawyer, Faisal Chaudhry, submitted an application in the IHC on Wednesday, challenging the notification for shifting the two courts. He has requested the court to declare the notification illegal and grant permission to Imran Khan’s legal team to meet him.
