Imran Khan, the former captain and prime minister of Pakistan, has been detained in Islamabad. According to reports, the legendary cricketer was detained in front of the Islamabad High Court, where he had gone to apply for bail in a number of cases requiring his presence. However, he was arrested in a case for which he was not scheduled to appear in court.
According to local media, the Pakistan Rangers detained the 70-year-old at approximately 14:15 local time (2:45 p.m. IST). Even though the specifics of the crime have not yet been made public, it involves Al Qadir University, which he founded in 2019 during his tenure as prime minister. As Imran Khan has been under investigation for over a year, it is also possible that he will spend a considerable amount of time behind bars.
ESPNcricinfo claims that Malik Riaz, a well-known Pakistani businessman, donated land to the university and that there was a quid pro quo arrangement involving this land. The National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom seized £190 million in assets and subsequently returned them to the Pakistani government. However, it remains unclear what the current government did with the land and the money.
The Pakistan Rangers turned Imran over to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for further investigation after his arrest. In contrast, the government also enacted Section 144, which prohibits large gatherings in the nation’s capital. In the event of large-scale disturbances, the Pakistani government and military will have the authority to conduct mass arrests.
Reportedly, two attempts were made to arrest the former captain in March, but a large crowd congregated outside his residence to thwart the efforts. Since he ceased to hold the position of prime minister, Imran has endured a difficult period.
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