Islamabad high court grants two-week bail to Imran Khan in corruption case

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan was granted bail on Friday (May 12) for two weeks in the Al-Qadir trust corruption case by the Islamabad high court, said news reports.

A division bench comprising Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz heard the Al-Qadir trust corruption case, a day after the Supreme Court termed Khan’s arrest, which sparked riots across the country, from the IHC premises on Tuesday as invalid and unlawful.

Khan, 70, arrived at the court shortly after 11.30 am local time amid tight security and underwent the biometric identification process and other formalities.

The hearing was delayed for nearly two hours due to security reasons.

Earlier, the two judges left the courtroom amid pro-Khan slogan shouting by a lawyer. The upset judges later announced that the hearing will resume after Friday prayers.

Also read: Pakistan SC declares Imran Khan’s arrest ‘illegal’, orders his release

Dawn News reported that Khan’s lawyers had filed four additional requests, which urged the IHC to club all the cases against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and to direct authorities to provide details of the cases registered against him.

Khan was arrested from the premises of the IHC on Tuesday in the Al-Qadir Trust case after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) issued an arrest warrant against him.

Watch: Pakistan wakes up to more destruction, blocked roads after Imran Khan’s arrest

His arrest by paramilitary Rangers sparked widespread protests across Pakistan, prompting the deployment of the army in Islamabad as well as in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces.

The IHC upheld his arrest but a three-member Supreme Court bench on Thursday declared his detention illegal and ordered his immediate release. The apex court directed police to keep him in the Supreme Court’s protection and produce him before the high court at 11 am.

(With inputs from agencies)