ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan can be held for eight days, a court ruled Wednesday, a day after the popular opposition leader was dragged from a courtroom and arrested on corruption charges, deepening the country’s political turmoil.
Khan’s arrest on Tuesday set off deadly clashes between his supporters and police in several cities that left at least six people dead, and his continued detention raised the prospect of more unrest. Already, angry protesters stormed a radio station in the northwest on Wednesday, and supporters clashed with police in the capital of Islamabad.
The 70-year-old politician was ousted in a no-confidence vote last year but remains the country’s most popular opposition figure.
His dramatic arrest — when he was pulled out of a hearing on one set of charges to be arrested on another set — was the latest confrontation to roil Pakistan.
He is the seventh former prime minister to be arrested in the country, which has also seen interventions by its powerful military over the years.
“We will not allow anyone to take the law into their hands,” the military’s media wing said in a statement, Dawn said.
Imran Khan was arrested from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) “in line with the NAB statement and law”. “Immediately after this arrest, attacks were perpetrated on the army’s properties and installations while slogans anti-army slogans were raised.”
The ISPR said that on the one hand, “these miscreants evoke the nation’s emotions for achieving their limited and selfish objectives and on the other hand, they deceive people, continuing to highlight the army’s importance”.
“This is an example of hypocrisy,” it stated.
The military’s media wing said that “this group wearing a political cloak” has done what enemies could not do in 75 years, all “in the lust for power”.
“The army showed patience and restraint and exercised extreme tolerance, not even caring about its reputation, in the larger interest of the country,” it said.
“With this situation created under nefarious planning, a heinous attempt was made to make the army give an immediate reaction, which could be used for nefarious political purposes.
“The Army’s mature response thwarted this conspiracy. We are well aware that behind it were orders, directives and complete pre-planning by some sinister party leadership,” the statement added.
The ISPR said that the facilitators, planners and political activists involved in the protests had been identified, asserting that strict action would be taken against them “as per the law and all these evil elements will now be responsible for the consequences”.
“Any further attack on the army, including all law enforcement agencies, military and state installations and properties will be severely retaliated, the responsibility of which will be on this very group that wants to push Pakistan into a civil war and has expressed it multiple times.
“No one can be allowed to incite people and take the law into their hands,” the army’s media wing added.
The move comes at a time when the cash-strapped nation is trying to avoid a default.
Khan has denounced the cases against him, which include corruption and terrorism charges, as a politically motivated, to keep him from returning to power in the next elections which are to be held later this year.
Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party has appealed for calm, but the standoff put the country on high alert after Tuesday’s clashes.
Police deployed in force across the country, and placed shipping containers on a road leading to the sprawling police compound in Islamabad where Khan is being held.
In Peshawar, supporters raided a building housing Radio Pakistan, damaging equipment and setting fire to it, said police official Naeem Khan.
Some of the employees were trapped inside, he said, and police were trying to restore order.
Meanwhile, in eastern Punjab province, the local government asked the army to step in after authorities said 157 police officers were injured in clashes with Khan supporters.
Two senior leaders among arrested
Police have arrested 945 Khan supporters in eastern Punjab province alone since Tuesday — including Asad Umar and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, two senior leaders from Khan’s party.
Amid heightened security, Khan appeared before a judge at a temporary court inside a police compound Wednesday. Pakistan’s GEO television broadcast footage showing him seated in a chair, holding documents. He appeared calm but tired.
In the latest case, Khan has been accused of accepting millions of dollars worth of property in exchange for providing benefits to a property tycoon.
The National Accountability Bureau, which is investigating, asked to hold him for 14 days, but the tribunal granted eight days.
Khan’s legal team has challenged the arrest in an Islamabad court and is considering doing the same at the country’s Supreme Court.
The National Accountability Bureau has detained and investigated former officials, including former prime ministers, politicians and retired military officers.
When he was detained on Tuesday, Khan was appearing in court on multiple graft charges brought by Islamabad police.
Courtroom stormed, residence of top army general in Lahore set on fire
As he showed up in court, dozens of agents from the accountability bureau backed by paramilitary troops stormed the courtroom, breaking windows after Khan’s guards refused to open the door.
Mobs angered by the dramatic arrest set fire to the residence of a top army general in the eastern city of Lahore, and supporters attacked the military’s headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi near the capital, Islamabad. They did not reach the main building housing the offices of army chief Gen. Asim Munir.
Other demonstrators tried to reach the prime minister’s residence in Lahore, but were driven off by baton-wielding in police. Still more attacked vehicles carrying troops and hit armed soldiers with sticks. So far, police and soldiers have not fired at protesters.
The military has not commented on the attacks on its facilities. None of the leaders from Khan’s party denounced the attacks on the military, though they have appealed to their supporters to be peaceful.
By morning, police said some 2,000 protesters still surrounded the fire-damaged residence in Lahore of Lt. Gen. Salman Fayyaz Ghani, a top regional commander. They chanted slogans at the military, including “Khan is our red line and you have crossed it.” Ghani and his family members were moved to a safer place when the mob on Tuesday first attacked their sprawling house.
Indicted in Toshakhana case
Meanwhile, a Pakistani court on Wednesday indicted Khan on charges of selling state gifts (Toshakhana case) during his four years in power.
Khan’s indictment followed a decision by the Election Commission of Pakistan in October, which found him guilty of illegally selling state gifts between 2018 and 2022 and barred him from holding public office until the next election due in November. He has denied any wrongdoing.
Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha, a lawmaker from Pakistan’s ruling coalition who was a plaintiff in the case against Khan on state gifts, confirmed his indictment and said the former premier had put the “country’s peace at stake”.
The corruption cases are two of more than 100 registered against Khan after he left office. In most of the cases, Khan faces being barred from holding public office if convicted.
