[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairperson Imran Khan lashed out at the federal government on Monday, calling for peaceful rallies against a ‘threat’ to the sanctity of the Supreme Court and the Pakistan Constitution.
“All citizens must be prepared for peaceful protests as the Constitution and the Supreme Court are once again destroyed, signalling the end of the Pakistani dream,” he wrote earlier today on Twitter.
Following his detention and ensuing unrest last week, the former prime minister criticised the arrests of PTI workers and protestors.
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“So, without any investigation into who was responsible for the arson on the government building or the dozens of deaths of unarmed protesters by bullet wounds, around 7,000 PTI workers, leadership, and our women have been jailed, with plans to ban the largest and only federal party in Pakistan [sic],” Imran stated.
So without any investigation into who was responsible for arson on government building or dozens of deaths of unarmed protesters by bullet wounds , around 7000 PTI workers , leadership and our women have been jailed with plans to ban the largest and only federal party in Pak .… pic.twitter.com/7p8uiPaYhc
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 15, 2023
The deposed prime minister has also accused the country’s security forces of working with the federal administration to subvert the Constitution. “Meanwhile, our security agencies are facilitating these goons to take over the SC and subvert the constitution [sic],” the former prime minister said as he shared video of people climbing over a gate and entering the Red Zone at the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) protest outside the Supreme Court (SC) today.
On May 9, 2023, paramilitary Rangers stormed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) premises, where Imran had appeared to face graft proceedings in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust case, and whisked the former premier away in a whirlwind raid carried out on the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) behalf.
The arrest, or “abduction” as the PTI says, occurred before the court hearings could commence. IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq questioned the arrest procedure, issued contempt orders to the interior secretary and the Islamabad inspector-general of police (IGP), but held that the detention was valid.
The following day, the IHC ordered NAB physical remand of the PTI chairman for eight days and indicted him in a separate graft case in which Imran and his legal team had previously boycotted sessions.
However, on May 11, the Supreme Court ruled that Imran’s arrest was unlawful and ordered his immediate release.
In response to widespread protests in key cities, the government shut down mobile internet services and restricted public access to information, bringing the country to a halt. The apparent disregard for due process when dealing with an accused, as well as the involvement of the country’s paramilitary forces, drew international attention, with global media outlets pointing to escalating tensions between the deposed prime minister and the incumbent civil-military relationships. Given the political uncertainty and suspension of internet connections, Pakistan’s already fragile economy received a further impact in the aftermath of the arrest.
Thousands of people gathered to the streets in protest of Imran’s arrests, demonstrating his status as a popular leader once more. In retribution, several of them barged into critical military structures as well as residential neighbourhoods. Earlier this week, senior PTI leaders such as Asad Umar, Fawad Chaudhry, and Yasmin Rashid were arrested. Some PTI leaders are still being held.
Tensions remain high between the federal government led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), its supporters unified under the banner of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), and the PTI. Following Imran’s release, hundreds of PTI workers and sympathisers have been apprehended.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
