Ajit Karn
Pakistani police arrested Imran Khan’s nephew
Islamabad: On Monday, Pakistani police arrested Imran Khan’s nephew and a number of his supporters for their alleged involvement in the attacks on security personnel outside a court in Islamabad over the weekend, where the deposed prime minister had arrived from Lahore to appear in a long-awaited corruption case hearing.
The seizures were the latest in a series of cases lodged against Imran Khan, the leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the principal opposition party.
The arrests on Monday bring the total number of Mr. Khan’s supporters detained in Islamabad since Saturday to 198.
Among those detained is also Hassan Niazi, the nephew of Imran Khan.
Details regarding the other arrests were not immediately known. His supporters hurled firebombs and stones at the officers, while paramilitary police used batons and tear gas.
More than fifty police officers were injured, as well as a police checkpoint, several vehicles, and motorcycles.
Sunday, Lahore Police charged Mr. Khan and over 1,000 PTI employees with terrorism in two separate cases.
The number of cases brought against Imran Khan has increased to 97.
During the search operation, police claimed to have recovered rifles, Kalashnikovs, ammunition, marbles, and petrol explosives from his residence.
Mr. Khan, 70, who arrived in the federal capital on Saturday from Lahore, appeared at the district court’s entrance in the highly anticipated corruption case.
In spite of the violence outside the courthouse, the judge permitted Imran Khan to return home after he signed a register.
The former prime minister has been targeted for purchasing presents, including a costly Graff wristwatch he received as prime minister at a discount from the state depository known as Toshakhana, and reselling them for a profit.
In October of last year, the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified Mr. Khan for failing to disclose sales information.
The election body subsequently filed a criminal complaint with the district court to penalise him for selling the gifts he had received as the country’s prime minister.
Imran Khan has categorically denied these allegations.
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Imran Khan, the cricketer-turned-politician, was expelled from power in April of 2016 after losing a vote of no-confidence, which he claimed was part of a US-led plot to remove him from office due to his independent foreign policy decisions regarding Russia, China, and Afghanistan.
Since his removal, he has demanded early elections to overthrow what he calls a “imported government” commanded by prime minister Sharif.
Mr. Sharif has maintained that elections will be conducted later this year after the five-year term of the current parliament expires.
