Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was remanded in custody on a corruption case on Wednesday, a day after his arrest that sparked unrest that led to the deployment of soldiers to several provinces.
Imran Khan, who hopes to return to power and is pressuring the government to hold new elections before October, has been held in pre-trial detention for eight days, one of his lawyers, Ali Bukhari, told reporters on Wednesday. The result of a closed hearing.
The former head of government had to appear before a special court at the police headquarters because of a corruption case.
According to Sher Afzal Marwat, a lawyer for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Mr Khan’s party, he was “in good spirits” but was beaten in the back of the head and leg at the time of his arrest on Tuesday.
Violent clashes erupted between PTI supporters and police following the announcement of the former Prime Minister’s arrest.
At least six people died in incidents related to the protests, police and hospitals reported on Wednesday.
soldiers in action
The government has given the green light to deploy troops in three provinces, including the capital Islamabad and Pakistan’s most populous Punjab, where nearly 1,000 protesters have been arrested and 130 police officers injured since the demonstrations began.
Demonstrators set fire to the Lahore (east) military commander’s residence and blocked the front gates of the army headquarters in Rawalpindi, near Islamabad.
In a statement, the army threatened a “vigorous response” to those who attack military and government installations.
As of Tuesday, the western powers demanded respect for the rules of a peaceful democracy.
On Wednesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on the authorities to “respect procedure” and the rule of law in prosecuting the former leader and urged “all parties to refrain from violence” and pursue de-escalation.
On the same day, schools across Pakistan were closed and access to social media such as Twitter and Facebook was restricted by the authorities. By midday, demonstrators had blocked some roads leading to the capital.
“If you think that arresting Imran Khan would demoralize us, you are gravely mistaken,” said one of his supporters, Niaz Ali, in Peshawar (west of Islamabad), where several monuments and government buildings were torched. “We stand by Imran Khan and will support him until his death,” he added.
“illegitimate affair”
Imran Khan was deposed in April 2022 after losing army support and a vote of no confidence in him.
The 70-year-old former prime minister, who is the subject of dozens of court cases and whose ties with the military institution have only deteriorated, has since pushed for the organization of snap elections before the October deadline in hopes of returning to power. Vain.
Imran Khan, who was appointed prime minister in 2018 with the backing of the military before falling out with the military hierarchy, accused a senior military officer of plotting to assassinate him during a meeting this weekend in November.
“These fabricated and malicious allegations are extremely regrettable, deplorable and unacceptable,” the army responded in a statement Monday, saying that “this vocal propaganda” was intended to “further political ends.”
Officially, this attack is the work of a lone gunman who, according to a video released by the police, confessed to being the perpetrator and is in prison. However, this theory is dismissed by Mr Khan, who was subsequently shot and wounded in the leg.
Criticism of the military is rare in Pakistan, where its leaders wield significant political clout. Since gaining independence in 1947, she has staged at least three coups and ruled for over 30 years.
“My (dear) Pakistanis, by the time these words reach you, I will be under arrest in connection with an illegitimate matter,” Khan said in pre-recorded video on Tuesday, awaiting his arrest.
Justice Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar assured during a press conference that there had been “no political vendetta” in connection with Mr Khan’s arrest.
The case that led to his detention was brought by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Pakistan’s top anti-corruption agency, which said the former cricketer ignored repeated court summonses.