Islamabad: Imran Khan arrest illegal says Supreme Court

Islamabad : In a major relief for Imran Khan, Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday declared the former prime minister's arrest "illegal" and ordered his immediate release after he was produced before a bench on its orders. A three-member bench, comprising Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Athar Minallah, issued the verdict while hearing a petition against his arrest from the Islamabad High Court premises on Tuesday.

The bench, while hearing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman's plea against his arrest in the Al-Qadir Trust case, expressed anger at the way he was taken into custody by paramilitary Rangers and ordered authorities to produce him before it.

The bench had directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to produce the 70-year-old leader Khan by 4:30 pm (local time) when the court would reconvene. Khan was brought to the court in heavy security.

As he entered the courtroom, it was closed, and subsequently, the bench resumed the hearing of the case.