Court sends PTI's Ali Muhammad Khan to jail on judicial remand

A local court in Mardan on Wednesday sent incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Ali Muhammad Khan — who was rearrested for the sixth time in a span of around 47 days — on a 14 day judicial remand in a corruption case. 

The PTI leader was rearrested for the sixth time in another corruption case shortly after being released by an anti-corruption court in Peshawar a day earlier (Tuesday).

Earlier, the court had granted post-arrest interim bail to the PTI leader in a case related to alleged fake hiring in the fisheries department and causing Rs2.3 million losses to the national treasury.

Soon after his release, officials of the anti-corruption establishment (ACE) took him into custody in another case related to alleged embezzlement of funds in various contracts.

Khan was first arrested by the Islamabad capital territory police on May 11 under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order Order (MPO) in connection with the violent protests and attacks on the civil and military installations last month.

The violent protests, triggered by the arrest of PTI Chairman Imran Khan from the IHC in the Al-Qadir Trust case, erupted almost across the country.

During the days-long protests, which ended only after the PTI chief's release, enraged party workers allegedly attacked private and public properties, including military installations — the Lahore Corps Commander's House or Jinnah House and the General Headquarters (GHQ) entrance in Rawalpindi. At least eight people lost their lives during the violent protests.

On June 9, the PTI leader was released from prison after an anti-terrorism court (ATC) discharged him from all the cases related to May 9 mayhem and attacks on civil and military installations. The court ordered the authorities to let him walk free if he was not implicated in any other case.

Soon after his release, officials of the anti-corruption establishment (ACE) took him into custody in a corruption case from outside the ATC premises.

Earlier today, the incarcerated PTI leader war arraigned before the court of judicial magistrate due to the public holiday.

During today's proceedings, Judicial magistrate Malik Zeeshan Gul rejected the anti-corruption establishment’s (ACE) request seeking physical remand of the PTI leader.