ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) petitioned the Supreme Court on Wednesday, challenging the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) ruling that party chief Imran Khan’s arrest by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on May 9 was “legal.”

Following Imran’s arrest, which sparked nationwide protests, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi convened an emergency meeting of a seven-member party committee to assess the situation and devise a comprehensive strategy to secure the former premier’s safe and early release.

On Wednesday, the PTI’s legal team, led by Fawad Chaudhry, petitioned the Supreme Court, requesting that the court vacate the order issued by the IHC chief justice in the aftermath of the arrest.

“…Leave to appeal may please be granted against the impugned order 09-05-2023 passed by Hon’ble IHC […] may be set aside and further after hearing the parties the warrant dated 01-05-2023 issued by Chairman NAB [National Accountability Bureau] may be declared void and further be directed to release the petitioner/accused forthwith in the interest of justice,” it said.

At first, the SC registrar’s office returned the petition immediately after it was submitted. It stated that the PTI did not approach the relevant forum, adding that the party could file an intra-court appeal in the IHC.  It said the petition also did not carry signatures of the PTI chief.

The party, however, resubmitted the petition after addressing the objections and the SC registrar office later admitted the appeal and allotted it a number (641/2023).

The IHC on Tuesday declared former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s arrest in the Al-Qadir Trust case “legal,” but issued contempt of court notices to the Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Secretary Interior.

The court also ordered its registrar to complete an investigation into the incident, which involved the mistreatment of lawyers and court personnel as well as the destruction of court property, by May 16 and to file a first information report (FIR) against those responsible.

On Monday afternoon, officials from the paramilitary Rangers and the police arrested the PTI chief from the IHC premises while carrying out an arrest warrant issued by the NAB, the country’s top graft buster.

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