Was Abducted, Beaten With Sticks: Imran Khan's First Message Post Pakistan SC's Verdict

After Pakistan Supreme Court termed the arrest of PTI chief as illegal, Imran Khan made some sensational claims on Thursday. He said he was brutally beaten up by the Rangers. 'I was abducted from court and beaten with lathis,' local media reported quoting Khan.

Khan also appealed to his supporters to remain peaceful after the SC passed the order. ''We don't want violence but elections in the country. I was told by my lawyers a day earlier that there is anarchy in the country but we don't want anarchy in the country,'' Khan said.

In a major relief for Imran Khan, Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday declared the former prime minister's arrest 'illegal' and ordered his immediate release after he was produced before a bench on its orders.

The order to produce 70-year-old Khan was issued by a three-member bench, comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Athar Minallah.

Khan was arrested on Tuesday from the Islamabad High Court and an accountability court on Wednesday handed him over to the National Accountability Bureau for eight days in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust case.

The former premier on Wednesday approached the apex court to set aside the warrants of NAB of May 1 for his arrest and to challenge the Islamabad High Court's decision to declare the arrest "unlawful".

Earlier, the IHC expressing anger at the way Khan was nabbed upheld his arrest hours after he was whisked away.