Federal Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar has said former prime minister Imran Khan had been arrested in accordance with the law, the 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Tuesday.
Addressing a press in Islamabad, he said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had taken Imran Khan into custody in relation to the “Al-Qadir Trust” case.
The law minister said notices were issued to Imran Khan, but he had continuously denied any facilitation in the investigation. He said Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Aamer Farooq took the action as the arrest had been conducted on the court's premises. He said arrest warrants were executed to arrest Mr Khan.
A seven-member medical examination committee has been formed to conduct Imran Khan’s medical and it was up to the court to decide to send him on judicial remand. The mishandling during the arrest was condemnable, he said.
NAB proceeded in safe lines though the PTI had been crying foul, he said. Outlining the changes in NAB law during the PDM's tenure, he added that the opposition during the PTI government had faced the worst NAB.
Commenting on the PTI's reaction to Imran Khan's arrest, he said civilized nations did not stage violent protests. “These reactions are condemnable,” he added. It was the responsibility of every Pakistani, he said, to conduct himself in line with the constitution.
He went on to say that the Constitution should be allowed to do its job now. “Pressurising the judiciary to take relief is not tolerable anymore,” he added.
Sharing details of the origin of corruption, he said National Crime Authority UK decided to repatriate money to Pakistan and a confidential agreement had also been brought before the cabinet but kept under the carpet. "When ministers sought details, it was shrugged off by saying that it is a legal matter," he added.
But later, it was discovered, he said, that a trust had been formed to receive the money in kickbacks with Mr. Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi as trustees. "NAB sent notices but they evaded them," he added. Everyone knew, he said, what happened when police went to Zaman Park to arrest Mr Khan.
“Politicians should face allegations courageously,” he said. "PML-N supremo and former PM Nawaz and his daughter Maryam Nawaz served in jails for cases they had been abducted in later," he added. No evidence of corruption, he said, was found against them.