- Lahore district and sessions court sent anchorperson Imran Riaz to jail in a corruption case related to securing a contract for Dharabi Lake in Chakwal at an inflated price.
- Riaz’s arrest was decried by PTI, who called for his immediate release.
- The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) accused Riaz and his father, invoking sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act.
- Riaz’s lawyers argued the case was false and lacked evidence, stating his father was not a government official and no harm was caused to the national treasury.
- Riaz expressed hope in the judiciary and vowed to fight against corruption.
- The court rejected ACE’s request for physical remand and sent Riaz to judicial lockup for 14 days.
- PTI condemned Riaz’s arrest, alleging it was illegal, and criticized the government’s authoritarian actions.
- Riaz had previously been arrested in 2023 following protests after Imran Khan’s arrest, and his whereabouts were unknown for over four months before his eventual release.