Imran Khan: Violence and mass arrests as former Pakistan PM charged with corruption

Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan has pleaded not responsible to corruption prices a day after his arrest sparked nationwide protests.

Eight individuals have died nationwide within the protests and about 1,000 have been arrested, police say.

The military is being deployed in some areas, and has issued a stern warning after crowds attacked its properties.

Mr Khan’s arrest dramatically escalated tensions between Mr Khan and the navy at a time of financial disaster.

Conviction would disqualify the previous cricket star – prime minister from 2018 to 2022 – from standing for workplace, probably for all times. Elections are due later this 12 months.

There’s tight safety on the police guesthouse the place he’s being detained, which can be serving as a courtroom.

On Wednesday Mr Khan was indicted on prices that he unlawfully bought state presents throughout his premiership, in a case introduced by the Election Fee.

He denies the allegations and says he fulfilled all authorized necessities.

It was the primary of dozens of instances towards him during which he has been formally charged.

For months he had prevented arrest, together with his supporters at occasions combating pitched battles with police to maintain him out of custody.

Tuesday’s arrest was based mostly on a brand new warrant for a separate corruption case, linked to the alleged switch of land for Al-Qadir College, close to Islamabad. The decide remanded Mr Khan in custody for eight days on this case.

Certainly one of his legal professionals, Sher Afzal Marwat, stated his consumer was faring properly and relayed a message to supporters not to surrender: “It’s important to stand your floor for Rule of Regulation,” Mr Khan stated.

His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) celebration stated it will problem the legality of his arrest in courtroom.

The motion by Pakistan’s anti-corruption physique has led to violent protests throughout the nation.

The federal government has known as the military in to keep up order in a number of areas of the nation, together with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Balochistan, and Islamabad.

Extraordinary scenes on Tuesday night confirmed Mr Khan’s supporters ransacking the corps commander’s residence in Lahore, smashing chandeliers and making away with peacocks – amongst different issues – which they stated have been purchased with “citizen’s cash”.

Pakistan’s military described 9 Could as a “darkish day” and warned protesters of an “excessive response” if properties of the state have been attacked once more.

Police in Islamabad used transport containers to attempt to block routes to the compound the place Imran Khan was showing earlier than a decide.

The BBC witnessed clashes between protesters and the police in the course of one among Islamabad’s principal motorways.

Protesters started gathering after noon, some carrying with them PTI flags or sporting Imran Khan face masks.

Canisters of tear gasoline have been fired into the group quickly after they started to collect. The protesters tried to hit the metallic casings away utilizing their sticks. There have been no arrests throughout the 90 minutes the BBC have been current.

“We got here to do a peaceable protest, however these police are shelling us,” one man, who was holding stones and a stick and sporting a surgical masks, advised the BBC.

“Till our demise we are going to proceed this protest or till they free Imran. In any other case we are going to shut the entire nation.”

Mr Khan was ousted final April, lower than 4 years into his time period as prime minister.

In November, he was shot within the leg whereas campaigning amongst crowds within the metropolis of Wazirabad. He has accused a senior intelligence official of finishing up the assault – an accusation strongly denied by the navy. A day earlier than his arrest, the navy had warned Mr Khan towards repeating the allegation.

Mr Khan’s celebration says he faces greater than 100 courtroom instances, which he says are politically motivated.

His supporters argue that the present authorities desires to bar him from contesting common elections due in October.

Dr Shireen Mazari, the previous Minister for Human Rights in Mr Khan’s PTI authorities, advised the BBC that the way in which Mr Khan had been detained amounted to state abduction.

“We do not count on even the navy to abuse the sanctity of the courtroom on this means,” she stated, including that individuals in Pakistan have been “seething with anger” on the means he had been handled, in addition to wider financial issues.

Nevertheless, Islamabad’s Excessive Courtroom declared the arrest authorized.

“Mr Imran Khan will face the legislation, if harmless, [he] can contest the election. But when discovered responsible of corruption, he must face the consequence of that,” Minister of Planning Ahsan Iqbal advised a press convention on Wednesday.

Police have arrested supporters of Mr Khan’s celebration, together with Asad Umar, its secretary-general.

Cellular web companies stay closely restricted throughout the nation. Pakistan’s telecommunication authorities stated that they had suspended companies on directions from the inside ministry.

Colleges additionally stay closed, some highways have been blocked and there may be little visitors on roads in main cities.

Many analysts imagine Mr Khan’s election win in 2018 occurred with the assistance of the navy. However amid a rising financial disaster, observers say he fell out of favour with the highly effective navy, the essential behind-the-scenes participant in nuclear-armed Pakistan.

Since being in opposition, he has grow to be one of many navy’s most vocal critics.

Extra reporting by Farhat Javed, Usman Zahid and Malik Mudassir in Islamabad and Kelly Ng in Singapore