Protests after Khan arrest
Pakistan deploys soldiers in Islamabad
05/11/2023, 12:48 p.m
In Pakistan, the arrest of ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan has triggered massive nationwide protests. Thousands of people are arrested, including several of Khan’s party officials. In Islamabad, the military is now supposed to protect government buildings.
Two days after the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Pakistan, soldiers were stationed in the capital Islamabad because of the massive protests that have been going on since then. Police said the military was now stationed in the capital’s sensitive “red zone” where government buildings are located. The government had already given the go-ahead for the deployment of soldiers against demonstrators in Punjab province on Wednesday.
At least seven officials from Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party have been arrested, the Islamabad police said. They are accused of organizing the protests. After his arrest on Tuesday, Khan was remanded in custody for eight days on Wednesday. According to media reports, he had to answer before a special court at the police headquarters in the capital Islamabad because of the corruption allegations against him.
Khan’s arrest triggered massive protests across the country. According to doctors and police, at least six people were killed. Hundreds of police officers were injured and more than 2,000 people were arrested across the country, particularly in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. Several corruption allegations are pending against the former prime minister. The Pakistani election commission accuses him of having kept government gifts from his time as prime minister for himself.
Khan describes the prosecution as politically motivated, and his public appearances regularly lead to clashes between his supporters, political opponents and security forces. Khan came to power in Pakistan in 2018 on a promise to fight corruption and nepotism. During his reign, however, his relationship with the powerful military that had sustained his rise to power increasingly deteriorated. Almost a year ago, he was overthrown by a vote of no confidence in the National Assembly. Conservative politician Shehbaz Sharif was elected as his successor.