, a national cricket legend-turned political opposition leader, on corruption charges. Khan remains hugely popular in the country of 230 million despite being forced out office last year with a no-confidence vote in Pakistan's parliament, and his arrest has infuriated his supporters.
Pakistan's Supreme Court heard a petition Thursday from Khan's lawyer, who demanded the politician's release and called his Tuesday arrest illegal. The court expressed displeasure over the way Khan was taken into custody in another courtroom earlier in the week, and it ordered authorities to bring him before the high court bench within an hour.
Amid speculation ahead of his appearance Thursday that the Supreme Court could order his release, national Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb told reporters in Islamabad that it would be"unfair" for the top court to intervene is such a manner. Aurangzeb noted the violence instigated by Khan's supporters this week and said a release order would be tantamount to a"license to kill to everyone.
Sanaullah said U.K. authorities had returned $240 million to Pakistan in connection with the case, and that Khan was accused of returning that money to the land developer instead of keeping it in the national treasury when he was the premier. If the political turmoil around Khan continues, it could derail the national elections planned for November.
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