Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan says police surrounded his house, arrest imminent – Times of India
NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday claimed that the police have surrounded his house and that he could be arrested any moment.
“Probably my last tweet before my next arrest,” Khan said on Twitter ahead of his address to the nation.
Meanwhile, police said they were surrounding the home because dozens of people linked to last week’s violent attacks on public property and military installations were hiding there, news agency AP reported.
Khan was arrested last week by the anti-graft agency in a corruption case before a court granted him bail. His arrest had sparked violent protests across the nation, killing at least eight.
Addressing the nation via video conference, the PTI leader said that the violence triggered after his arrest last week was part of “a conspiracy” to ban his party. “The cases that are being filed under military laws — it never happened before that without any investigation or independent inquiry … it was suddenly decided that PTI is a terrorist organisation,” Khan said, adding that 7,500 workers of his party have been arrested.
Earlier today, Pakistan’s government accused Imran Khan of sheltering aides and supporters wanted over attacks on the army following his arrest last week, and warned he had 24 hours to hand them over or face a police operation.
Punjab province’s information minister Amir Mir said intelligence and law enforcement agencies had identified that some 30 to 40 people accused of attacking military installations were hiding at Khan’s home in the eastern city of Lahore.
“We’re giving an ultimatum that these terrorists should be turned over to the police, or else there will be action,” Mir told a press conference in the city. He warned Khan had 24 hours to surrender the suspects, and that a police operation would be launched if he did not comply.
Khan is facing over 120 cases across the country, including for allegedly committing treason and blasphemy and inciting violence and terrorism. He was ousted from power in April after losing a no-confidence vote in his leadership, which he alleged was part of a US-led conspiracy targeting him because of his independent foreign policy decisions on Russia, China and Afghanistan.
He is the only Pakistani prime minister to be ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament.
(With agency inputs)
“Probably my last tweet before my next arrest,” Khan said on Twitter ahead of his address to the nation.
Meanwhile, police said they were surrounding the home because dozens of people linked to last week’s violent attacks on public property and military installations were hiding there, news agency AP reported.
Khan was arrested last week by the anti-graft agency in a corruption case before a court granted him bail. His arrest had sparked violent protests across the nation, killing at least eight.
Addressing the nation via video conference, the PTI leader said that the violence triggered after his arrest last week was part of “a conspiracy” to ban his party. “The cases that are being filed under military laws — it never happened before that without any investigation or independent inquiry … it was suddenly decided that PTI is a terrorist organisation,” Khan said, adding that 7,500 workers of his party have been arrested.
Earlier today, Pakistan’s government accused Imran Khan of sheltering aides and supporters wanted over attacks on the army following his arrest last week, and warned he had 24 hours to hand them over or face a police operation.
Punjab province’s information minister Amir Mir said intelligence and law enforcement agencies had identified that some 30 to 40 people accused of attacking military installations were hiding at Khan’s home in the eastern city of Lahore.
“We’re giving an ultimatum that these terrorists should be turned over to the police, or else there will be action,” Mir told a press conference in the city. He warned Khan had 24 hours to surrender the suspects, and that a police operation would be launched if he did not comply.
Khan is facing over 120 cases across the country, including for allegedly committing treason and blasphemy and inciting violence and terrorism. He was ousted from power in April after losing a no-confidence vote in his leadership, which he alleged was part of a US-led conspiracy targeting him because of his independent foreign policy decisions on Russia, China and Afghanistan.
He is the only Pakistani prime minister to be ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament.
(With agency inputs)
