Imran Khan arrest updates: Court approves 8-day remand for ex-PM
Footage showed PTI workers ransacking residence of top military commander in Lahore and raiding one of the outer gates of GHQ in Rawalpindi.
This blog is now closed. Thank you for joining us. These were the updates on Pakistan’s political turmoil on Wednesday, May 10.
This blog is now closed. Thank you for joining us. These were the updates on Pakistan’s political turmoil on Wednesday, May 10.
- A Pakistan court has ruled ex-PM Imran Khan can be held for questioning for eight days.
- The army has been called in to maintain law and order in Balochistan, Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces amid widespread protests in the country following Khan’s arrest.
- The 70-year-old was indicted for unlawfully selling state gifts during his premiership between 2018-22.
- At least one person killed in the city of Quetta, nearly 1,000 arrested in Punjab.
- Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced nationwide protests over the shock arrest.
This blog is now closed
Pakistan government calls in the army after deadly protests continue.
Two senior PTI leaders arrested.
Army warns protesters that further assaults on the military or law enforcement agencies, state installations and properties “will be met with severe retaliation”.
Is Imran Khan’s arrest politically motivated?
Pakistan is on the edge, again, following Imran Khan’s indictment.
His arrest at a court in Islamabad on Tuesday has escalated long-simmering political tensions. Thousands of Khan’s supporters protested in a show of anger – much of it directed at the military.
Pakistan is already dealing with multiple challenges – from an economic crisis to the aftermath of catastrophic floods.
Could his arrest plunge the country into turmoil? Al Jazeera’s Inside Story discusses this and more.
Khan’s arrest is abduction, entirely illegal: Senior PTI leader
Murad Saeed, a senior leader of Khan’s party, says the manner in which the former prime minister was arrested was “abduction and entirely illegal”.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Saeed, said the response from the public to Khan’s arrest showed the former prime minister’s popularity.
Saeed denied that party workers were behind violent protests and rioting which damaged multiple public and private properties, including military installations, across the country.
“You must have seen that PTI has been conducting public rallies and demonstrations since last one year after our government was removed. Our supporters know exactly which area we gather to conduct our protests, but this time in our midst were some elements who did not belong to the party,” Saeed claimed.
‘What you have is a perfect storm in Pakistan right now’
Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan’s former ambassador to the UN, says the situation in the country is extremely serious.
“It is a very serious situation. It is probably the most serious political and constitutional crisis that Pakistan has faced in many, many decades. It comes on the back of a serious economic crisis. What you have is a perfect storm in Pakistan right now,” Lodhi told Al Jazeera from the capital Islamabad.
“I think the government is struggling to maintain law and order. Protesters are turning violent and it doesn’t look as if the unrest is beginning to in any way fade.”
Another PTI leader arrested
A senior PTI official, Fawad Chaudhry, has been arrested outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad, the party has said.
PTI said the arrest was carried out despite Chaudhry having been granted protective bail by the Islamabad High Court until May 12.
“He was arrested despite possessing a bail, granted to him by Islamabad High Court which specifically barred his arrest till May 12,” Faisal Fareed Chaudhry, his brother and a PTI lawyer, told Al Jazeera.
“We are facing a challenge and as part of that this [also] happened that I’m being arrested like this from the Supreme Court’s premises,” Chaudhry, who was the federal minister for information and broadcasting during PTI’s government, said outside the court before his arrest.
Chaudhry is the second senior party leader who was arrested on Wednesday. Earlier, PTI Secretary-General Asad Umar was arrested outside Islamabad High Court on similar charges.
SVP @fawadchaudhry has been arrested outside Supreme Court despite having protective bail from IHC till 12th May.
Law of the jungle is ruling in Pakistan. #ReleaseImranKhan
— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 10, 2023
Nearly 1,400 arrested in Punjab province
Police in Punjab say they have arrested nearly 1,400 people, accusing them of being involved in “vandalism, violence and arson” on public and private institutions in the eastern province.
“More than 145 police officers and officials were seriously injured in the violent activities of the miscreants across Punjab,” the provincial police said in a statement.
“Due process against miscreants who are aware of violence against citizens, damage to private and public property is being ensured,” the statement added.
PM Sharif: We do not express happiness when somebody gets arrested
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says “real role and responsibility of political leader” is not to let their workers cross legal boundaries.
“As political workers, we do not express happiness when somebody gets arrested, and this is an unfortunate moment in life,” he said during an address to the nation on Wednesday.
Talking about Khan’s arrest, Sharif said that all necessary “evidence” in the case was present.
Referring to the violence, Sharif said damaging government and private properties is “terrorism and anti-state”.
“Khan’s party and its leadership damaged sensitive, public and private properties, these scenes were never seen by the people of Pakistan,” he said.
UN urges parties to refrain from violence
The United Nations has called on all parties in Pakistan to refrain from violence.
“The Secretary-General takes note of the ongoing protests… and calls for all parties to refrain from violence. He stresses the need to respect the right to peaceful assembly,” said a statement by Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
“The SG urges the authorities to respect due process and the rule of law in proceedings brought against former Prime Minister Khan.”
PM Sharif address the nation, warns Khan’s supporters
Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif has addressed the nation and warned supporters of Imran Khan of harsh consequences if they break the law.
“PM Sharif has laid out what he calls a systematic targeting of political opposition during the time of Imran Khan. He said the way Khan’s party has been reacting to him going to jail is akin to what he calls ‘terrorism’,” Al Jazeera’s Osama Bin Javaid, reporting from Islamabad, said.
“He says anybody who is found guilty of acting against the state or are involved in activities damaging properties belonging to the military are going to be tried under terrorism laws… and warned PTI supporters from taking the law into their own hands.”
Khan’s detention could be extended, says former prosecutor
Imran Shafique, a lawyer and former prosecutor at Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau (NAB), says Khan can be kept in custody for a maximum of 14 days.
“The court has ordered an eight-day remand for him [Khan], and it can be extended for another six days,” Shafique told Al Jazeera.
Shafique explained that the former Prime Minister Khan will be able to seek bail once the duration of his remand is over, as he is already under arrest.
Shafique said there are few scenarios under which Khan could face the prospect of arrest. The first, under which he was taken away, was not appearing in court despite being issued notices.
“The second scenario is if he is charged with tampering with evidence, which is not possible since all evidence is with NAB and the third is there is a fear that Khan would flee the country,” he said.
“Therefore, it does not seem like his questioning and arrest will last too long.”
Khan doing well, morale ‘higher than before’, says party official
Shah Mahmood Qureshi, PTI’s deputy leader, says Khan is doing well and “his morale is higher than before”.
“He said his morale is high, and told the supporters that you must also not lose hope,” Qureshi said in a video message on Wednesday.
Army to be deployed in Islamabad
Pakistan’s cabinet has approved the deployment of the army in the capital Islamabad due to the protests.
In a meeting led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday, the cabinet recommended that those arrested committing arson and violent incidents be charged under the country’s anti-terror laws.
Islamabad police tweeted soon after the decision that army troops were reaching several locations in the capital.
“All those who are spreading incitement are requested to stop,” it said and requested women and children to refrain from traveling.
Who is Imran Khan?
From a World Cup winning captain for the national cricket team to Pakistan’s prime minister, here is a look at the life and political rise of Imran Khan:
PTI: Deputy leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi not arrested
Shah Mehmood Qureshi, deputy leader of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has not been arrested, the party has confirmed.
The announcement comes after stories on social media claimed Qureshi, a former foreign minister, was taken into custody.
In a post on Twitter, the party said the claim was “fake” news.
Please be mindful of not believing all news that is being circulated. The news of @SMQureshiPTI being arrested is FAKE. He is currently holding a meeting. Please verify news; you are all part of the team for Haqeeqi Azaadi.#عمران_خان_ہماری_ریڈ_لائن #BehindYouSkipperAlways pic.twitter.com/TcJZ8EOReT
— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 10, 2023
Pakistan army says May 9 marks a ‘dark chapter’
The Pakistan army says May 9 – the day protests erupted after Khan was arrested – “will be remembered as a dark chapter” in the country’s history.
It said in a statement that the protests were “organised attacks” against military installations and anti-army slogans were raised.
“What the eternal enemy of the country could achieve for the last seventy-five years, this group, disguised in a political cloak, has done just for sheer lust of power,” the statement said.
After Khan, leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was arrested, his supporters stormed the streets across Pakistan. Footage showed PTI workers ransacking the residence of a top military commander in Lahore and raiding one of the outer gates of the General Headquarters of Pakistan army in Rawalpindi.
“Any further attack on the army, including all law enforcement agencies, military and state installations and properties will be retaliated severely against the group that wants to push Pakistan into a civil war and has repeatedly attacked them.”
Protests ‘escalating’ across Pakistan
Al Jazeera Osama Bin Javaid, reporting from Islamabad, says the situation on the ground is not improving.
“The protests have escalated not just in the federal capital, but also in other parts of the country,” he said. “We are hearing reports that at least seven PTI supporters have been killed. We have been seeing pictures of protesters opening fire on security forces and the security forces retaliating.”
Why has Imran Khan been arrested?
Khan’s supporters say the army orchestrated his arrest on corruption charges and have staged a second day of protests. The government says the law is being followed.
Watch this explainer on why Khan was arrested:
How the world reacted to Khan’s arrest in Pakistan
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Khan is currently under arrest on corruption charges.
Khan’s arrest on Tuesday sparked nationwide protests and demonstrations, while the government blocked internet services in big cities.
Read more here.
UK monitoring situation in Pakistan carefully: PM Sunak
The United Kingdom is monitoring the situation in Pakistan carefully, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said.
“The arrest of the former prime minister is an internal matter for Pakistan. We support peaceful democratic processes and adherence to the rule of law and we are monitoring the situation carefully,” Sunak told lawmakers.
Four killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Hospital official
At least four people have been killed amid protests, according to Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) in Peshawar, the capital of the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The bodies bore gunshot wounds, LRH spokesperson Muhammad Asim said in a statement.
More than 25 people were injured, he said, adding, the emergency department of LRH was on high alert.
Court approves eight-day police custody for Khan
An Islamabad court has handed Khan over to the National Accountability Bureau on an eight-day physical remand in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
The anti-corruption body had earlier requested a 14-day remand.
Balochistan requests deployment of troops
Authorities in Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan have requested the deployment of the army in view of the “prevailing law and order situation” and to “conserve the human lives and public/private property”.
A notification issued by the provincial government said the “deployment of sufficient number” of soldiers is requested “to avoid any untoward incident”.
Radio Pakistan building attacked in Peshawar: Official
The director general of Radio Pakistan, Tahir Hussain, says its building has been attacked in Peshawar.
Speaking to a private news channel, he confirmed that a large number of people attacked the building as they broke down the main entrance of the office in an attempt to enter.
Afterwards, the building was set on fire, Hussain added.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province calls for army deployment
Following the military deployment in Punjab, the government of the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has also called for troops to quell protests.
In a notification, the government said “in view of prevailing law and order circumstances”, the government was calling on the armed forces to aid civil power as per the country’s constitution.
Pakistani court indicts Khan in states gifts case: Local media
Khan has been indicted by a court for unlawfully selling state gifts during his premiership from 2018 to 2022, broadcaster Geo News reports.
The case was filed in August by a member of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz, contending that the PTI prime minister had sold gifts given by foreign dignitaries from the state gift depository and did not disclose the assets.
Pakistan’s election commission found the opposition leader guilty in October of “corrupt practices” and disqualified him from being a member of parliament.
Khan has rejected the allegations and has called the case politically motivated.