Khan seized by paramilitary police in corruption inquiry
Former prime minister’s supporters break into military’s headquarters and call for ‘shutdown’
PROTESTERS enraged by the arrest of Imran Khan, Pakistan’s former prime minister, broke into the headquarters of the army yesterday in an unprecedented show of defiance.
Mr Khan, the country’s former cricket captain, was seized in the morning by security forces who stormed the Islamabad High Court before forcing him into an armoured car. Video footage showed dozens of officers from the paramilitary Rangers Police force pushing Mr Khan, who walks with a limp after an assassination attempt last year.
Protesters descended on cities and military sites across the country as leaders of the opposition Pakistan Tehreeke-insaf called for a national “shutdown”.
Political tensions were at boiling point after Mr Khan, 70, over the weekend named Faisal Naseer, a senior officer in the feared Inter-services Intelligence (ISI) military spy network, as responsible for two attempts on his life. Dozens of protesters were filmed breaking into the home of a military commander in Lahore before destroying his furniture and setting the building on fire. Police fired tear gas and water cannons at protesters in the capital Islamabad and Karachi, the country’s largest city. In Rawalpindi, demonstrators broke through the gate to the army’s headquarters.
Cyril Almeida, a political columnist, said the break-in at general headquarters was “unreal”. He wrote on Twitter: “Either the revolution is here or something terrible is about to unfold.”
Mr Khan has been locked for months in a confrontation with the military, which he alleges engineered his overthrow last year in a no-confidence vote.
He was attending court to face one of 100 charges of corruption filed against him since he left power. He claims the charges are fabricated. It was unclear yesterday whether the paramilitary Rangers had the authority to arrest him.
Rana Sanaullah, the interior minister, said Mr Khan had failed to appear before the court despite being issued with notices. “The arrest has been conducted by the National Accountability Bureau for causing losses to the national treasury,” he said. Allies of the former prime minister called it an “abduction”.
Aamer Farooq, chief justice of the Islamabad High Court, demanded an explanation from the capital’s police chief and the interior ministry. Mr Farooq said he would summon Shahbaz Sharif, the prime minister, if he did not receive a satisfactory response. A witness, who did not want to be named, said Mr Khan was “grabbed the collar, lifted from his wheelchair” and then “dragged out on the road”.
Gohar Khan, Mr Khan’s lawyer, said his client was beaten over the head and in the leg where he was shot. Azhar Siddique, a senior lawyer, said the arrest was illegal and unconstitutional.