Pakistan: Top Court Orders Immediate Release Of Imran Khan, Declares Arrest Illegal
Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ruled that the arrest of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was illegal and has ordered his immediate release, following two days of deadly protests and spreading unrest, which has pitted his supporters against the military and security services.
Khan was taken into custody when he appeared in the Islamabad High Court Tuesday and was filmed being whisked away in an armoured vehicle by dozens of anti-corruption task force agents dressed in Swat gear. The scene sparked outrage and was interpreted by his opposition Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI) as a political ploy to block him from challenging Shahbaz Sharif. Top military commanders have also come out against Khan.
King Khan in Supreme Court pic.twitter.com/LkLcZkcEdc
— Virk Shahzaib (@VirkSh786) May 11, 2023
By Tuesday the army had deployed to the streets of the capital of Islamabad after protesting mobs began raiding military buildings and bases. A national radio building was also burned to the ground.
When Khan was taken into custody, he was attending a court hearing related to an Al-Qadir Trust corruption hearing. Khan heads the trust with his wife, and there’s an ongoing probe over billions lost in a ‘bad deal’ as well as corruption allegations going back years.
Since the overnight hours, a sense of calm may have begun to return to the capital amid a heavy military presence. Yesterday, many PTI party bosses were arrested, with the central government denouncing ‘acts of terror’ on the part of the protests, which were encouraged by Khan’s party.
