Imran Khan was going to be heard in court as part of a corruption case in which he is involved, but he was stopped by a strong military device. Leading party speaks of “kidnapping”.
It is an escalation of political tension between the current government and former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was ousted last year and has since sought to challenge military power: Khan was detained while appearing in court in the frame of a legal process for corruption in which he is involved.
The arrest was confirmed by the party led by Khan, the PTI, which twitter mentions “kidnapping” in a publication with images of the high-tension moment in which a group of paramilitaries escorted the former prime minister to a vehicle.
Rangers kidnapped PTI Chairman Imran Khan, these are the pictures. The brave people of Pakistan must come out and defend their country. pic.twitter.com/hJwG42hsE4
— PTI (@PTIoficial) May 9, 2023
Khan was due to appear in court when he was arrested, a day after the Pakistani army issued a statement against the former ruler, accusing him of making accusations against an intelligence officer.
A witness told Reuters that shortly after Khan entered the courthouse in Islamabad, he was followed by a contingent of paramilitary forces and armored vehicles.
The former ruler, who was ousted from the post of prime minister last year after a vote of no confidence, has been trying to return to active political life and challenge the installed military power. Khan is currently facing dozens of court cases, charged with crimes ranging from terrorism to corruption.. He has called new elections and accused the military group of orchestrating his ouster, accusations the military has denied.
In November, Khan, 70, was wounded in what his supporters characterized as an assassination attempt at a PTI rally. In March, he watched an Islamabad court revoke an arrest warrant for him. That day, he could not even get out of the car to be heard in court due to the tear gas fired by the police against his supporters.
In one of the cases in which he is involved, Khan is accused of failing to declare gifts he received during his tenure as prime minister, or the proceeds he made from the sale, accusations he rejects.
Former Pakistani Prime Minister released after being summoned by a court
Source: Observadora
