The chief justice of Pakistan, Umar Ata Bandial, declared that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had acted in violation of the law by arresting Khan on the premises of the Islamabad high court without permission and that such actions would have a "chilling effect".
Khan was arrested by paramilitary troops on Tuesday as he entered the high court to face a corruption case. Bandial said Khan had already surrendered to the court when almost 100 rangers barged in and detained him, and he declared Khan's arrest "unlawful" and in contempt of court.
"What dignity remains of the court if 90 people entered its premises? How can any individual be arrested from court premises?" Bandial said.
Amid heavy security, Khan was brought into the court and produced before the three-judge panel. "There have been incidents of violence after your arrest," Bandial said. "We want peace in the country."
This story is from the May 12, 2023 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the May 12, 2023 edition of The Guardian.
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