Paramilitary Rangers arrest Imran Khan amid corruption case hearing
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09-005-2023 : Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan and the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) political party was arrested by paramilitary Rangers on Tuesday outside the Islamabad High Court, where he was present for a hearing on a corruption case. This arrest comes a day after he accused the country’s powerful army of plotting to kill him. The PTI party confirmed the arrest of the 70-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician.
As per reports, the Rangers broke open a glass window and arrested Khan while he was undergoing a biometric process at the court, after beating lawyers and Khan’s security staff. TV footage showed the Rangers grabbing Khan by the collar and putting him into a prison van. According to a NAB official, Khan was arrested in a land transfer case involving property tycoon Malik Riaz and is being handed over to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the Al-Qadir Trust case. The official also confirmed that Khan’s arrest warrants were issued on the same day.
Khan’s party leaders have accused the Rangers of attacking the High Court and engaging in state terrorism. They alleged that Khan was being tortured, though this has not been confirmed independently. The Dawn newspaper reported that the Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court directed the police chief, the interior ministry secretary, and the additional attorney general to appear before the court within 15 minutes.
Khan has been facing numerous cases since his ouster through a no-trust vote in April 2022. He has rejected all these cases as political victimization by the ruling alliance. Presently, Khan is facing over 140 cases related to terrorism, blasphemy, murder, violence, and inciting violence.
The arrest of Imran Khan, a prominent political figure in Pakistan, has caused uproar in the country. Many are calling for protests, and there is an overall sense of unrest. The situation remains fluid, and it remains to be seen what further developments will arise from this arrest.
