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Police (back) clash with PTI activists and supporters (unseen) of former prime minister Imran Khan during a protest against the arrest of their leader in Peshawar on May 9, 2023. — AFP
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Following the arrest of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case on Tuesday, violent protests broke out across the country. Section 144 was enforced.
The ousted prime minister was detained by Rangers from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) where he had gone on bail in several cases filed against him since he was ousted from power in April last year.
Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse Khan’s supporters in Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad, while protesters blocked roads in the capital Islamabad, Peshawar and other cities.
Activists also damaged public property and torched police vehicles in Charsadda, Karachi, Lahore and several other cities after the party called on supporters to “shut down Pakistan” over their arrest. PTI wrote on Twitter: “This is your time, people of Pakistan, Khan has always stood up for you, now is the time to stand up for him.”
Previous attempts to arrest Khan from his Lahore home resulted in violent clashes between his supporters and law enforcement officials.
“Imran Khan is our red line. Even a scratch on him is not acceptable,” Hanif Khan, 42, a grocery store owner, told AFP.
We will sacrifice our lives but we will free Imran Khan.
Khan has faced dozens of charges since he was ousted — which analysts say have been used by successive Pakistani governments to silence opponents.
If convicted, he could be barred from holding public office, which would rule him out of elections later this year.
Video aired on local TV channels showed Khan – who had limped since being shot during an assassination attempt last year – being herded into an armored vehicle inside the IHC compound by dozens of Rangers personnel.
‘Emergency Committee’
In a statement, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that a meeting of the emergency committee formed by the central leadership and the party chief has been called to consider the future course of action in view of the arrest.
He further said that the future course of action will be announced after reviewing the situation.
PTI leaders Saifullah Niazi, Azam Swati, Ejaz Chaudhry, Murad Saeed, Ali Amin and Qureshi are part of the emergency committee.
Qureshi also condemned the “attack” on the IHC and the alleged torture of the party chief during his arrest. He criticized law enforcers for detaining Khan during biometric verification and storming the court.
The party’s senior leader said that the party will continue to fight the legal and political battle with full determination.
‘according to law’
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that Khan was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on charges of embezzlement of 60 billion rupees in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case.
He said during the press conference that this arrest is in accordance with the law.
NAB is an independent institution not under the control of the government.
Earlier in a tweet, the Home Minister strongly denied the reports of PTI Chairman Khan being tortured during his arrest.
“No violence was done to him. [Khan]The Home Minister wrote on his official handle.
What is Al Qadir Trust Case?
The former prime minister, along with his wife Bushra Bibi and other PTI leaders, is facing a NAB inquiry into the collusion between the PTI government and property tycoons that allegedly cost the national exchequer £190 million. .
According to the charges, Khan and the other accused allegedly adjusted 50 billion rupees – 190 million pounds at the time – sent to the government by the British National Crime Agency (NCA).
He is also accused of obtaining illegal benefits in the form of more than 458 kanals of land at Mouza Bakrala, Sohawa for the establishment of Al-Qadir University.
