ISLAMABAD: The Su­­preme Court on Monday clarified that it did not provide the Mercedes car for for PTI Chairman Imran Khan to appear before the court.

On May 11, a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial ordered the Islamabad police to present Mr Khan, two days after he was arrested from the premises of Islamabad High Court in the Al-Qadir Trust case.

Subsequently, the PTI chief was brought in a black Mercedes amid tight security and he was taken inside the court through the judges’ gate.

In its clarification, the court said Islamabad Police had arranged the Mercedes for transporting Mr Khan in compliance with the bench’s direction.

It added that Mr Khan’s appearance was delayed by over an hour since the police were arranging for his safe transportation to the court.

Mr Khan’s appearance in the Mercedes didn’t sit well with government leaders, who claimed it was a favour extended to the PTI chief.

On May 20, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, in a tweet, questioned the CJP “why he was not provided a Mercedes for court appea­rances”.­

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2023