Pakistan’s former PM Imran Khan was Arrested Tuesday as he appeared in court to face charges in multiple graft cases, a dramatic escalation of political tensions in the country that sparked demonstrations by his supporters in at least three cities. Khan, who was ousted in a no-confidence vote in April 2022 but remains the leading opposition figure, was dragged from the Islamabad High Court by security agents from the National Accountability Bureau, said Fawad Chaudhry, a senior official with his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.
Khan was shoved into an armored car and whisked away. Chaudhry denounced the arrest of the 71-year-old former cricket star as “an abduction.” Pakistan’s independent GEO TV broadcast a video of Khan being hauled away. Afterward, a scuffle broke out between Khan’s supporters and police outside the court. Some of Khan’s lawyers and supporters were injured in the melee, as were several police, Chaudhry said. Khan’s party complained to the court, which requested a police report explaining the charges for Khan’s arrest.
Protests break out in Pakistan over ex-PM’s arrest
Meanwhile, Chief Justice Aamer Farooq of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday took exception to the arrests that took place in the IHC premises, after Khan’s arrest, as earlier in the day, outside the court, Dawn announced. The Additional Solicitor General replies that the parking lot and other parts of the IHC like the court should consider reports Dawn. According to Fawad Chaudhry, a spokesman for Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, the former president has been “kidnapped from the court. Many lawyers and ordinary people things have been abused.”
Khan was arrested on the allegation that Bahria Town distributed land worth PKR 530 million to Al-Qadir Trust, which is by PTI and his wife, Dawn Reports quoting Islamabad police. “Khan has been taken by unknown people to unknown places,” Chaudhry said, adding that Khan has face many incidents since he left in April last year. He is currently facing more than 140 cases related to violence, blasphemy, murder, violence, and terrorism. However, he dismissed all these cases as victims of the judicial process.
Section 144 imposed in Islamabad
Protests erupted in several Pakistani cities on Tuesday in front of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) over the arrest of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. According to the official Twitter page of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Party (PTI), the protests are taking place in cities like Lahore, Peshawar, Karachi, Gilgit, and Karak. According to Pakistani media, protesters stormed the army chief’s residence in Lahore and vandalized his house, hours after Khan’s arrest. Moreover, soon after his arrest, Section 144 imposes in the city of Islamabad.
Khan, 72, was in a confidence vote in parliament last year and has since waged. A popular campaign against the current government led by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. PM Imran Khan Arrestes Accusing it of colluding with the military to oust him. He faced a growing number of cases against him and several arrest warrants issues, causing clashes with his supporters.
Khan has faced numerous allegations of corruption during his tenure, which he has dismissed as “bias”. According to him, the charges against him are of a political nature. In March, the streets near his residence in Lahore turned into a battle of sorts. Between the police and his supporters after officers tried to arrest Khan. For failing to appear in court on corruption charges. Supporters pelted police with stones and bullets, while people set Khan’s residence. On fire after police fired tear gas into the building.
The case against Khan
The Al-Qadir Trust case against Khan was in Italy last year by the current government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. In the corruption case, it came into the possession of the Al-Qadir Trust. Of which Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, are trustees. The land worth billions of rupees was given by Malik Riaz, one of Pakistan’s biggest businessmen, to build the school. PM Imran Khan Arrested In December 2019, Riaz agreed to hand over $239 million worth of properties to Britain, including real estate.
National Crime Agency.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday. That UK authorities had returned 190 million pounds ($239 million) to Pakistan in an investigation into “dirty money” that . Khan had returned to the businessman instead of keeping it at home. country. treasury. The former president denied wrongdoing. Khan, who will be in power from August 2018 to April 2022, has previously. By his rivals for being a pawn of the military establishment and seen as the country’s king.
Islamabad, Pakistan
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan as he appears in court in the capital. Islamabad, to face corruption charges that have sparked protests across the country. Tuesday’s arrest is the latest twist in a months-long political crisis and follows several failed attempts to arrest. The cricketer-turned-politician, including a police raid on his home in the eastern city of Lahore in March. Which he managed to avoid.
Musarrat Jamshed Cheema, the leader of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, confirmed the arrest to Al Jazeera on Tuesday. “It went into his biometrics from where the Rangers picked him up,” he said, referring to the force. According to media reports, PTI supporters took to the streets. In several cities demanding the party leader’s release, chanting slogans like “Khan on the red line”.
Tensions running high
Khan, 70, ouster from power in April 2022 after losing a no-confidence vote. Since then, he has been campaigning for early national elections, expected to take place in October this year. Khan’s arrest follows the latest in a war of words with the country’s powerful military. The former prime minister accused a senior military commander, General Faisal Naseer. Who is now with the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s top intelligence agency? By participating in the November 2022 assassination attempt in Wazirabad. called him out again for attacking his party.
The army issued a scathing statement on Monday calling allegations of its involvement in last year’s shooting “irresponsible and inappropriate”. “We ask the concerned political leader to file a legal appeal and not make false accusations,” the statement said. Khan, however, doubled down on the allegations in a video message. Released early Tuesday before leaving Lahore for Islamabad to attend a court hearing in the case.
