The arrest, according to the spokesperson for the opposition politician, was undertaken “in violation of all laws.”
Imran Khan, a former prime minister of Pakistan, was taken into custody on Tuesday in Islamabad, according to the police. The opposition leader’s detention has also been verified by his spokeswoman.
The arrest occurred when Khan arrived at Islamabad High Court for a hearing on a corruption case against him, said local channel Geo TV.
After the 70-year-old was forced from office more than a year ago, dozens of legal actions have been taken against him.
Witnesses told Reuters that armored trucks and police officers wearing full riot gear arrived on the scene as soon as the former premier approached the gate.
Khan was reportedly led out of the premises under tight security after the court’s entrance gates were apparently closed.
Several hundred law enforcement personnel, armed with batons, clubs, and shields, can be seen leading the politician into an armored SUV in footage allegedly shot at the site.
Khan was detained in relation to a graft case, according to a tweet by the Islamabad Police.
Raoof Hasan, the former PM’s spokesperson, claimed to Al Jazeera that he was being detailed unlawfully. Hasan argued that “it is against all laws” that “he was taken away from inside the court before he could appear before the judges.”
According to Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the government crossed a “red line” by “abducting” their leader. It tweeted: “It’s your time, people of Pakistan. Take to the streets. It’s time to support Khan because he has always stood up for you.
The call was returned with reports of protests coming from the provincial capitals of Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and other significant cities.
Conflicts have started despite PTI’s pleas for the protesters to keep calm. The police reportedly fired tear gas to disperse crowds in Karachi, according to the media, while a water cannon was used in Khan’s hometown of Lahore. The PTI also asserted that at least one demonstrator was shot in Faisalabad.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB), which is “an independent institution,” issued the warrant for Khan’s arrest, according to Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, who also emphasized that the detention was performed “in accordance with the law.”
Khan was already set to show up in a corruption court on Wednesday, according to Geo TV.
Khan, a former cricketer and current prime minister of Pakistan, held the position from 2018 until his resignation following a vote of no-confidence in April 2022.
The politician charged that his removal was the product of a US-led “international conspiracy” and that his rivals had received funding from foreign powers.
Since then, Khan has been actively attempting to retake power by holding sizable demonstrations of his followers across the nation. Several gunshots were fired at the former prime minister during an event in Wazirabad last November, but he managed to survive the attempt. He was shot in the leg, but the wound was not life-threatening.
