Pakistani police file terrorism charges against ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan

Police within the Pakistani capital filed fees Sunday towards 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 the day before today.

For hours on Saturday, Khan’s followers clashed with police exterior a court docket the place the previous prime minister was to look in a graft case. Riot police wielded batons and fired tear fuel whereas Khan’s supporters threw hearth 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 mentioned 59 of Khan’s supporters had been arrested throughout the violence.

Khan by no means really appeared contained in the court docket to face fees that he had offered state items acquired whereas in workplace and hid property.

Apart from 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 fees embrace terrorism, obstructing cops in finishing up their duties, assaults on police, wounding officers and threatening their lives.

The developments are the most recent involving rising 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 the USA have denied the allegations.

Additionally on Saturday, violence erupted once more exterior Khan’s house 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 fuel and clashes, police stormed Khan’s residence, and later mentioned they arrested 61 suspects and seized petrol bombs, weapons and ammunition. Khan was not at house, 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 fuel at his convoy and supporters.

With out providing something to again his declare, Khan mentioned his opponents are bent on both placing him in jail or killing him, and denounced the raid on his house in Lahore as “shameful techniques, conspiracies and plans.”

Inside Minister Rana Sanaullah accused Khan of “creating all of the drama simply to keep away from” the courts.