Pakistanis Clash with Police Over Attempted Arrest of Former Prime Minister Khan
Chaos has erupted on the streets of Pakistan as protesters clash with police over the attempted arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The opposition leader failed to appear in court last week to answer charges of corruption and illegally selling state gifts and concealing his assets.
Khan’s supporters threw rocks and bricks while taking swings at police security forces who responded with water cannons and tear gas.
The unrest has left over a hundred police officers injured, according to the Punjab provincial government.
Violence has also been reported in other major cities.
Khan, who was removed from office in a vote of no confidence last April, claims that the cases against him are all part of a ploy by the government of his successor, Prime Minister Shaban Sharif, to discredit him and block his attempts to contest in the upcoming elections.
The interior ministry has warned that Khan’s life is in danger, which is why he has avoided appearing in court since being shot in an alleged assassination attempt last November.
However, he has agreed to appear in person later this month when the court requires him to do so on the 18th.
Despite his popularity rising, if Khan is convicted of the charges he is facing, he could be barred from holding public office.
The situation in Pakistan remains tense, with police withdrawing from Khan’s home after two days of clashes but promising to attempt another arrest on Thursday.
