Former Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested in Pakistan on Tuesday, sparking mass violent protests across the country. Khan was accused of corruption in court today, and the government sent the army to the streets to quell the protests.
Imran Khan Party Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) called for nationwide protests after the leader’s arrest. Protesters attacked and set fire to military and government buildings in several cities, in Lahore they broke into and destroyed the residence of the military commander. At least five people died in the violence.
The Pakistani government has approved requests by local authorities to deploy the army to quell protests in Punjab province, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the capital Islamabad.
At the same time, the army announced that they have so far been restrained, and they will respond to any further attacks on the army or law enforcement agencies, state facilities and property.with a fierce vengeance“.
Former Prime Minister Khan and Pakistan’s powerful military found themselves on opposite sides after Khan accused a senior army officer of attempting to assassinate him when he was wounded in the leg last November.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on all parties in Pakistan to refrain from violence. He emphasized the need to respect the right to peaceful assembly and called on the Pakistani authorities to in the proceedings against Khan “they respect the rule of law“.
The first indictment against Kan
An anti-corruption court in Pakistan ordered an eight-day remand for Khan a day after his arrest on Tuesday. The former prime minister is suspected of several cases of corruption. On Wednesday, the first indictment was filed against him, namely for the alleged sale of state gifts during the prime minister’s term between 2018 and 2022.
Khan, 70, was ousted as prime minister in April last year, becoming the first Pakistani prime minister to receive a vote of no confidence in parliament. Elections are scheduled for October this year in the country, but Kan is at risk of being banned from participating if the court finds him guilty of corruption.
A former cricketer who was in the 80s. years also the captain of the Pakistani national team, according to opinion polls, he is otherwise the most popular politician in the country with 220 million inhabitants.
Source: Rtvslo