Former Pak PM Imran Khan arrested in protest case hours after bail in alleged corruption case
Islamabad (PTI): The chances for the release of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan vanished after he was arrested in a protest case hours after getting bail in a case of alleged corruption, a media report said on Thursday.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday granted him bail in the second Toshakhana case related to the purchase of an expensive Bulgari jewellery set at a throwaway price, igniting hopes of his release.
However, hours later, Rawalpindi police arrested him late at night in connection with a case registered at New Town Police Station on terrorism and other charges.
The police alleged that Khan, while imprisoned in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, had called for a protest in Rawalpindi on September 28.
Dawn newspaper quoted a police spokesperson as saying that Khan had been detained in the case filed on September 28 and a team has been tasked to probe the charges.
The charges include violations of the Anti-Terrorism Act, defying the government ban on public gatherings, obstructing police duty, damaging police vehicles and endangering public safety.
Even before the formal arrest in the case, federal information minister Atta Tarar doused the idea of his release by saying that Khan was wanted in eight cases related to May 9, 2023 violence and should secure bail before being set free from the jail.
Dawn reported that Khan needs to secure bail in nearly two dozen other cases registered across Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad before being released.
According to Islamabad police, at least 62 cases were registered against Khan in various police stations of the capital while his PTI party said that another 54 cases were registered in Punjab province.
Meanwhile, an accountability court on Wednesday held a hearing on the GBP 190 million case at the Adiala Jail and was informed that Khan and Bushra Bibi have yet to submit responses to the questionnaires issued to them.
The court granted Bibi’s request for an exemption from court appearance on medical grounds and adjourned the hearing till November 22.
Separately, the Lahore High Court dismissed a plea by Khan’s sister, Noreen Niazi, seeking bail for her brother in all cases against him in Punjab and Islamabad.
An assistant attorney general presented a report to the court, stating that 62 cases had been registered against Khan by the Islamabad police. After going through the report, Justice Farooq Haider turned down the request, observing that bail petitions must be filed personally by the suspect.
Dozens of cases have been registered against Khan since losing power in April 2022. His party maintained that all cases were politically motivated.
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Rupee falls 9 paise to all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade
Mumbai (PTI): Rupee depreciated 9 paise to an all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade on Monday, weighed down by uncertainty over an India-US trade deal and persistent foreign fund outflows.
Forex traders said rupee is trading with a negative bias as investors are in wait and watch mode and awaiting cues from the India-US trade deal front.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 90.53 against the US dollar, then fell further to an all-time intraday low of 90.58 against the greenback, registering a fall of 9 paise over its previous close.
On Friday, the rupee had slipped 17 paise to close at an all-time low of 90.49 against the American currency.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.05 per cent lower at 98.35.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading higher by 0.52 per cent at USD 61.44 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share benchmark index Sensex was trading 298.86 points lower at 84,968.80, while the Nifty was down 121.40 points at 25,925.55.
Foreign Institutional Investors sold equities worth Rs 1,114.22 crore on Friday, according to exchange data.
"FPIs continue to be in selling mode in equity and debt while RBI has been selling dollars to fund their long positions," said Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury and Executive Director Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP.
