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Pakistan in protest

Two dead and 1000 arrests in protests over the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan

Protests continue in Pakistan after the arrest for corruption of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The former cricket champion, now head of the opposition party, denies all accusations

10/05/2023

Reuters

Violent protests in Pakistan after the arrest for corruption of former Prime Minister Imran Khan yesterday.

Riots and clashes have been recorded since yesterday and continue in the main cities: in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi between the former prime minister's supporters and the police. Two dead according to local media, a hundred officers injured. About 1000 arrests were made by police in Pakistani Punjab among supporters of the former cricket champion, who was deposed about a year ago. Internet services are inaccessible by order of the Ministry of the Interior. Schools were also closed, some highways were blocked.

After a closed-door hearing, the Islamabad court approved 8 days of pre-trial detention for the 72-year-old former prime minister, now head of the opposition with the PTI party. Before the hearing, in a video released by Reuters, Khan disputed the charges against him - in addition to corruption there is sedition - saying that it is a political persecution by the government now led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. "I deny the charges, I am ready to go to jail, but please don't make a tragedy out of it," he said in the video. Around the police structure where he is detained, which also serves as a courtroom, a strict police control has tightened.

His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said Khan had no access to legal advice and would challenge the legality of his arrest in court, and announced a general strike.