Police in Lahore and the capital Islamabad have been conducting raids to arrest the leaders and employees of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf celebration, police and celebration members confirmed.
(Reuters)
Former
Prime Minister Imran Khan has requested the chief justice of
Pakistan to permit him to seem for courtroom proceedings nearly
to scale back the chance of any risk to his life.
Khan made the plea in a video
message on Monday as his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) celebration
ready for a rally in Lahore on March 22.
Supporters of Khan’s celebration, clashed with police within the metropolis
of Lahore final week as they tried to arrest him at his house,
and later with police in Islamabad as he arrived to seem
earlier than a courtroom on Saturday.
“My life is at risk, why should I seem in courtroom,” stated
Khan in a dwell video stream, asking to seem by video
convention for courtroom proceedings and vowing: “I’ll seem for
all circumstances”.
In the meantime, police in Pakistan have arrested dozens of supporters and
aides of Khan in raids in two cities as a part of a crackdown on
these concerned in current clashes with the safety forces,
Khan’s celebration and police stated on Monday.
Khan, a former cricket star, was prime minister from 2018
till 2022, when he was ousted from workplace in a parliamentary
vote. Since then he has been demanding a snap election and
holding protest rallies throughout the nation to press his case.
His successor as prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has
rejected his demand and stated an election can be held as
scheduled later this yr.
Khan, 70, is dealing with a number of authorized circumstances, together with one which
prompted a failed try to arrest him on Tuesday after a courtroom
issued warrants for his arrest for not showing earlier than it.
Clashes between Khan’s supporters and the safety forces
have introduced a brand new spherical of political chaos to Pakistan, which
is within the midst of a crippling financial disaster.
READ MORE:
Pakistani police file terrorism costs in opposition to former PM Khan
Journalist Kamran Yousaf experiences from Islamabad as Pakistani police file terrorism costs in opposition to ex-PM Khan pic.twitter.com/LVhwrlr4Pe
— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) March 19, 2023
Police raids on leaders’ homes
Khan says the federal government and the highly effective navy try to cease him from contesting the following election, scheduled for November. If convicted in a case, Khan may face disqualification from the polls.
Each the federal government and navy deny this.
Police in each Lahore and Islamabad confirmed the raids and the arrest of PTI employees they stated had been concerned in clashes with police and arson.
“Police are raiding the homes as a result of seven circumstances on varied costs, together with terrorism, have been registered in opposition to the leaders and employees,” Lahore police chief Bilal Kamiana informed Reuters information company referring to the clashes with police.
He stated 125 activists had been arrested in Lahore, together with some final week.
In Islamabad, a police spokesman stated 198 PTI supporters had been arrested in reference to arson and assaults on police wherein 58 individuals had been injured and greater than a dozen autos, together with some police vehicles, had been set ablaze.
Extra raids had been being carried out, the spokesman stated.
Khan, remembered by many for his success as a cricket participant and later for his charity work, gained appreciable help amongst sections of the citizens together with his conservative, nationalistic insurance policies.
READ MORE:
Pakistan courtroom drops arrest warrant in opposition to ex-PM Imran Khan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=false
Supply: Reuters