NEW DELHI – Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan was arrested by a paramilitary force from the Islamabad High Court today, prompting calls for nationwide street protests from his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders.
He was seen surrounded by paramilitary personnel and armoured vehicles in photographs from the court premises circulating on social media.
“Imran Khan has been whisked away by unknown people to an unknown location,” PTI vice president Fawad Chaudhry said in a tweet.
The party’s secretary-general Asad Umar said a six-member committee, headed by vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, would determine the next course of action as PTI leaders issued calls for people to take to the streets against Imran’s arrest.
Imran, who faces more than 100 cases ranging from terrorism to graft, appeared defiant in a video before leaving for Islamabad for court hearings.
He has slammed the cases against him as trumped up and part of a campaign to stop him from taking part in elections.
His government was ousted in a parliamentary vote of no-confidence in April last year and he was wounded in an assassination attempt in November while leading a march.
Islamabad police in a statement said Imran was arrested in connection with a graft case.
“The arrest has been conducted by the National Accountability Bureau for causing losses to the national treasury,” Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said.
Imran enjoys widespread popularity and his rallies attract huge crowds. – Bernama, May 9, 2023
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