The Accountability Court in Islamabad has issued arrest warrants for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman in the Toshakhana and the National Crime Agency’s £190 million cases.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed a petition for the implementation of the arrest warrants against the PTI Chairman. The Accountability Court, presided over by Judge Muhammad Bashir, instructed the Jail Superintendent to take necessary legal actions for the execution of these warrants.
Deputy Prosecutor General NAB Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi, Prosecutor Irfan Bhola, and investigative officers Mohsin, Waqar-ul-Hassan, Mian Umar Nadeem, among others, appeared in court.
When inquired by the court about the High Court’s stance, the prosecutor stated that the matter is pending, with no suspension order or standing order issued by the High Court. The NAB prosecutor requested the issuance of warrants and directed the Jail Superintendent to take appropriate measures.
The court questioned whether the issuance of warrants would eliminate the need to summon the accused. The prosecutor clarified that once arrested following the warrant, the accused would be brought to the court for physical remand.
The prosecutor highlighted the legal provision of 24 hours for custody, mentioning that a request would be made to the court if more time is needed. They emphasized the need to implement the warrant first, followed by subsequent steps, noting that similar procedures had been followed previously with other accused.
The court inquired about the instructions for the Jail Superintendent and the involvement of the Official Secrets Act. The prosecutor assured that permission had been granted to execute the warrant.
When questioned about the investigators, the prosecutor confirmed the involvement of two separate individuals. The court inquired about the reason for the arrest, to which the prosecutor responded, stating the necessity for investigation and completion of the inquiry.
The Accountability Court ordered the Superintendent of Adiala Jail to take legal actions for the implementation of the arrest warrants according to the law.
