Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan was arrested as he appeared in a court in the capital, Islamabad, to face charges in multiple corruption cases on Tuesday, officials from his party said.
Fawad Chaudhry, a senior official with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, said the 72-year-old was arrested on court premises by agents from the country’s anti-corruption body, the National Accountability Bureau.
This is how they’re treating Pakistan’s national leader inside the court premises. Unbelievable and disgusting! #نکلو_خان_کی_زندگی_بچاؤ pic.twitter.com/ZQTDYqonaU
— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 9, 2023
Mr Khan was ousted in a no-confidence vote in April last year.
He has claimed the move was illegal and a Western conspiracy and has campaigned against the government of his successor, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, demanding early elections.
Mr Chaudhry said Mr Khan was dragged out of the court and into a police vehicle.
He said the former premier is now in the custody of the security forces, and denounced the arrest as “an abduction”.
Pakistan’s independent GEO TV broadcast images of Mr Khan being pulled by security forces towards an armoured vehicle, which took him away.
They have badly pushed injured Imran Khan. Pakistan’s people, this is the time to save your country. You won’t get any other opportunity. pic.twitter.com/Glo5cmvksd
— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 9, 2023
Mr Khan’s party immediately complained to Islamabad High Court, which requested a police report explaining the charges for his arrest.
Officials from the anti-corruption body said Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau issued arrest warrants for Mr Khan last week in a separate corruption case, for which he had not obtained bail – something that would protect him from arrest under the country’s laws.
The officials said Mr Khan will appear before an anti-corruption tribunal later on Tuesday.
