ISLAMABAD (AP) — Police within the Pakistani capital filed prices Sunday in opposition to former Prime Minister Imran Khan, 17 of his aides and scores of supporters, accusing them of terrorism and a number of other different offenses after the ousted premier’s followers clashed with safety forces in Islamabad yesterday.
For hours on Saturday, Khan’s followers clashed with police outdoors a court docket the place the previous prime minister was to look in a graft case. Riot police wielded batons and fired tear gasoline whereas Khan’s supporters threw fireplace bombs and hurled rocks on the officers.
Greater than 50 officers had been injured and a police checkpoint, a number of vehicles and bikes had been torched. Police stated 59 of Khan’s supporters had been arrested throughout the violence.
Khan by no means really appeared contained in the court docket to face prices that he had offered state presents obtained whereas in workplace and hid property.
In addition to Khan, the case filed Sunday additionally accuses former and present lawmakers, former ministers, a former Nationwide Meeting speaker and scores of Khan’s supporters. The costs embody terrorism, obstructing law enforcement officials in finishing up their duties, assaults on police, wounding officers and threatening their lives.
The developments are the newest involving growing violence surrounding the 70-year-old Khan, who was ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament final April. Since then, the previous cricket star turned Islamist politician has claimed — with out providing proof — that his ouster was unlawful and a conspiracy by the federal government of his successor, Shahbaz Sharif, and Washington. Each Sharif and america have denied the allegations.
Additionally on Saturday, violence erupted once more outdoors Khan’s dwelling within the jap metropolis of Lahore, the place officers and Khan’s supporters had clashed for 2 straight days in a standoff earlier final week, after police arrived within the upscale neighborhood to arrest Khan.
Amid tear gasoline and clashes, police stormed Khan’s residence, and later stated they arrested 61 suspects and seized petrol bombs, weapons and ammunition. Khan was not at dwelling, having traveled to Islamabad for the court docket look. After he failed to look in court docket, the choose postponed that listening to till March 30.
In a recorded video message broadcast Sunday, Khan blamed police for his failure to look in court docket on Saturday, saying he by no means left his car because the police had been lobbing tear gasoline at his convoy and supporters.
With out providing something to again his declare, Khan stated his opponents are bent on both placing him in jail or killing him, and denounced the raid on his dwelling in Lahore as “shameful ways, conspiracies and plans.”
Inside Minister Rana Sanaullah accused Khan of “creating all of the drama simply to keep away from” the courts.