Since the former Prime Minister Imran Khan arrested on May 9, massive protest broke out in many areas. Immediately after Khan’s arrest, activists and supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) started violent protests in several cities including the country’s capital Islamabad, which is continuing. Violent protests have killed at least eight people and the army has been deployed in three other provinces besides Islamabad. At the same time, amidst the worsening situation and political upheaval in the country, former Foreign Minister of Pakistan and Imran Khan’s close aide Shah Mehmood Qureshi was arrested by the police on Thursday. Earlier on Wednesday, a special court sent Imran Khan to the remand of the Anti-Corruption Agency (NAB) for eight days, while a sessions court charged him in a separate corruption case.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday condemned violent protests by supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan following his arrest in a corruption case and warned of strict action against the protesters. The Prime Minister gave a brief address to the nation after the deadly violence during the last two days of protests in the country. The Prime Minister said that attack on public property is an act of terrorism and enmity towards the country. He said that those who take law into their hands will be dealt with strictly.
Speaking on the floor of the Sindh Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that the General Headquarters of the Pakistan Army and the Karachi Corps Commander’s Office were attacked by terrorist groups in the past. He said that PTI has to decide whether it wants to become Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or a political party like Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). They have to take that decision.
While there is chaos in Pakistan against the arrest of Imran Khan, the people of Pakistan are protesting in support of Imran Khan in foreign countries as well. PTI has shared pictures of demonstrations happening abroad on its official Twitter handle.
Imran Khan’s party PTI has alleged that Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid has been placed under “house arrest” in Islamabad. A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court will hear PTI chairman Imran Khan’s plea against his arrest in the Al-Qadir Trust case at 2 pm today. The bench will comprise Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Athar Minallah.
Imran Khan’s supporters attacked Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s residence in Lahore on Wednesday. According to the police, over 500 miscreants belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party reached the Prime Minister’s residence in Model Town Lahore in the early hours of Wednesday and torched vehicles parked there. A senior Punjab Police official said that they also hurled petrol bombs at the Prime Minister’s house. The PTI protesters left as soon as a police team reached there, he said.
Before reaching the prime minister’s residence, a mob of Khan’s supporters attacked the ruling PML-N secretariat in Model Town and torched vehicles parked there. They also set the blockers there on fire.