Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested this afternoon in Islamabad. This time he is accused of corruption. This news caused a quick reaction from his supporters, who started protests in various cities of the country.
The dramatic and sudden arrest former cricket star turned leader is the latest chapter in months of ongoing political turmoil in the nuclear armed nation after Khan was ousted last year.
According to court documents seen CNN, Khan was arrested in Islamabad on charges brought by the National Accountability Bureau, the country’s anti-corruption agency.
He was submitting his biometric data for a court appearance when paramilitary forces broke down a window to get to him before apprehending him, as seen in a video provided to CNN by his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
In the video, paramilitary forces attacked Islamabad High Court premises before arresting Khan who watched impassively at the unfolding chaos while wearing dark sunglasses.
Khan said he was “detained on incorrect charges” in a pre-recorded statement released on YouTube by PTI after his arrest.
“By the time you will receive these words of mine, I will have been detained on incorrect charges, Pakistan constitution, which gives us rights, which gives us democracy, has been buried. Perhaps I won’t get the opportunity to speak to you again.”