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Islamabad: After the arrest of former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan, on Tuesday, his supporters took to the streets and did fierce violence across the country. They indulged in arson and vandalism in various cities of the country. Imran’s supporters broke down the main gate of the massive army headquarters in Rawalpindi. During this, the soldiers exercised restraint, while the protesters raised slogans against the army.
Activists of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) barged into the premises of army commanders in Lahore and Rawalpindi. Imran’s supporters also entered the Peshawar cantonment, raising slogans against the army. Furious protesters set fire to the building of Radio Pakistan. Considering the seriousness of the situation, mobile broadband has been suspended across Pakistan.
Imran was arrested by the Pakistan Rangers on Tuesday when he was present at the Islamabad High Court for a hearing in a corruption case. A day before this, Imran had accused the country’s army of allegedly conspiring to kill him. On the other hand, the army had said that the former PM was making baseless allegations against a senior officer of the intelligence agency ISI.
According to senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Shireen Mazari, Imran, who had arrived in Islamabad from Lahore, was undergoing the biometric process at the court complex when the paramilitary Pakistan Rangers broke the glass window. They arrested the former PM after beating up the lawyers and Imran’s security staff.
In the TV footage, the rangers were seen dragging Imran by the collar and forcibly making him sit in the prisoner vehicle. A warrant for his arrest was issued on Tuesday morning and he was subsequently arrested.
As the news of Khan’s arrest spread, massive protests broke out in several cities of Pakistan. Protesters turned violent at many places. They set police vehicles on fire and damaged public property.
In a pre-recorded video released by PTI after his arrest, Imran said that by the time these words of mine reach you, I will be arrested in a baseless case. This shows that fundamental rights and democracy have been buried in Pakistan. All this is being done because they want me to accept the corrupt, imported government that has been forced upon us.
The Islamabad High Court has declared Imran’s arrest valid. The High Court had ordered the Islamabad Police Chief and other top officials to appear before the court and explain why Khan was arrested from the court premises. Chief Justice Aamer Farooq directed the Islamabad police chief, the secretary of the Ministry of Interior and other officials to appear before the court within 15 minutes. The High Court heard whether anyone can be arrested from the court premises?
An official of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) said that Imran has been arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust case. This matter is related to the university. Imran is accused of illegally providing land worth crores of rupees to the university as Prime Minister.
Malik Riaz, who is counted among the richest people of Pakistan, alleged that Imran and his wife took land worth billions of rupees in their name by threatening their arrest. After this the audio of Riyaz and his daughter surfaced. In this, there was a demand for a five carat diamond ring from Imran’s wife Bushra Bibi.
Apart from this, Imran, Bushra Bibi and other PTI leaders are also accused of causing loss of crores of rupees to the national exchequer.
