2023-05-11 08:37:20
- Farhat Javed, Joel Guinto
- By BBC reporter from Islamabad and Singapore
image source,Getty Images
Supporters of Imran Khan say the government crossed a red line by detaining him.
Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan with many supporters, was arrested on Tuesday (May 9) on corruption charges – an event he had successfully avoided for months, but the moment finally came .
Several arrest attempts in the past have fallen short. In March, a court order for his detention was put on hold following his supporters clashed with police in front of his home in Lahore.
And the scene of his final arrest was no less dramatic, when he was in court in the capital Islamabad. Surrounded by police officers in riot gear, the 70-year-old former prime minister was nearly submerged. They escorted him out of court and tied him to a car.
Imran Khan has faced dozens of charges, including corruption and sedition, since stepping down following losing a confidence vote last year. So his arrest was not unexpected.
But the incident has angered his supporters and even sent shockwaves through a country that has been pushed to the brink of crisis and wants an end to the political standoff.
Why was Imran Khan arrested?
The Pakistani government said he was being detained for failing to cooperate with authorities in a corruption investigation.
The case alleges that Khan received land as a bribe during his tenure as prime minister in exchange for political benefits. It revolves around the UK’s National Crime Agency’s investigation into “money laundering” of Pakistan’s largest real estate developer, Malik Riaz Hussain.
Hussain was directed to provide the land to the Al Qadir Trust set up by Imran Khan’s third wife, Bushra Bibi. Imran Khan denies the allegations, saying the land was donated for charitable purposes.
Hussein denies money laundering, but his stance on the land-for-profits is not known – he was questioned by investigators from Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau earlier this year and recorded an interview with the Qadir Trust Company. statement, but the specific content has not been made public, nor has it been reported by the media.
Following his arrest, Imran Khan was charged with an additional count of corruption. The allegation is that he failed to declare the money he earned from gifts and sales while he was prime minister. Khan pleaded not guilty in the case, which was first brought up at a hearing on Wednesday.
image source,Getty Images
Imran Khan’s arrest on corruption charges sparks protests in Pakistan.
Now that he is in custody, analysts believe a court might charge him with a range of offenses – something he has been dodging, either by not showing up for meetings or by appearing under heavy defense and immediately applying for bail. In fact, the Tuesday he was arrested, he was trying to apply for bail, but was eventually taken away.
Imran Khan himself seems prepared for this. After being detained, he posted an earlier video in which he said he was likely arrested by the time supporters saw the message.
However, it is possible that neither he nor his lawyers expected him to be arrested in court, as he has appeared in court in the past. But this time, it was not the police but the paramilitary armed Punjab Rangers who executed the arrest warrant.
Leaders and supporters of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said it was clear evidence of the military’s involvement. They claim that the arrests have little to do with corruption charges and are all regarding Khan’s ongoing public confrontation with the military. He accused the army and the spy group Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of plotting to kill him — a shooting he escaped last year.
The country’s warlords have seized power three times since independence in 1947 and have continued to play a prominent role in politics. Imran Khan is also thought to have risen to power with their backing. But his privileged parentage, his accolades and prestige as a cricketer, and his charisma make him far more popular than anything Pakistan has seen in recent years.
The arrest of the former prime minister has exacerbated political turmoil in Pakistan.
When he was ousted as prime minister, many believed it was largely because of his poor record in office, including a break with the military. But he was quick to take an offensive stance, criticizing the military and pursuing a populist narrative that resonated with the masses. And he’s doing it all in a high-profile way, holding big rallies and massive marches to stand in local elections, many of which are won by his party.
This situation continued for many months, while Imran Khan evaded arrest. He has since publicly accused intelligence officials of trying to assassinate him. The enraged officer denied the charges and warned him not to repeat them in the days leading up to the arrest.
Now, with the military getting tough, Khan’s supporters say the military has crossed a “red line” – the former prime minister’s own. Pakistan is facing a situation it has never seen before as public anger turns on the military.
A statement from the army said May 9 would be remembered as a “dark chapter” and warned of a “dramatic response” if protesters carried out more attacks on troops and other government facilities.
critical moment
Uncertainty surrounding Imran Khan has paralyzed Pakistan for months.
The nuclear-armed nation of 231 million people is already grappling with soaring food prices, a chronic economic crisis and extreme violence. Negotiations with the International Monetary Fund on a much-needed bailout have made no progress and elections due this year have stalled.
Analysts believe that Imran Khan’s arrest will only deepen the growing instability and hurt the chances of reconciliation between the former prime minister and the establishment, be it the government or the army.
Members of the 13-member coalition government, which holds power under Prime Minister Shabaz Sharif, said they had “nothing to do with the arrests”, saying they were in order.
But others say Khan’s arrest is good for the government because if he is found guilty, he will lose his candidacy, possibly for life.
Imran Khan’s ascent to Pakistani politics has been almost as rapid as his sports career. In his quest for supreme power in the country, he even managed to reinvent himself from a rich kid cricket icon to a sanctimonious politician.
Many saw the military as his ally on the way to the prime ministership, a claim denied by both sides – but now the military appears to be on his side.
What this means for Imran Khan and Pakistan is unclear as the country is headed for something it has never seen before.
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