Pakistan’s opposition leader Imran Khan was arrested immediately after his conviction in a corruption trial. Police arrested the 70-year-old ex-prime minister at his home in the city of Lahore on Saturday, Khan’s PTI party said. Pakistani television stations reported on the arrest and showed pictures of police columns.
A court had sentenced the popular ex-prime minister to three years in prison in absentia on Saturday shortly before in a corruption trial. The former cricket star, who has denied the allegations against himself, can appeal the verdict. Khan is barred from holding political office for the next five years.
In the specific case, the opposition leader was accused of having hidden proceeds from the sale of state gifts. Among other things, it was jewelry or a gold-plated AK-47 – gifts from the Gulf States that Khan had received during his time as Prime Minister (2018 to 2022).
Video message from Khan
In a video message, the ex-prime minister said after his arrest: “If this message reaches you, I will be in prison”. He urged his followers not to give up. “If you don’t stand up, you will lead the lives of slaves. You must continue the peaceful protest,” Khan said.
According to information from the Pakistani newspaper “Dawn”, the 70-year-old is now to be taken to the central prison in Rawalpindi near the capital Islamabad. Many prominent politicians were already imprisoned there.
In the nuclear power of Pakistan, with its more than 240 million inhabitants, a power struggle has been raging for more than a year between the family dynasties that are in government and the ousted ex-prime minister. Khan was overthrown by a vote of no confidence in April 2022 and has since faced numerous charges. Many observers see the judiciary’s actions against him as politically motivated.
The ex-prime minister was briefly arrested in May. His followers then stormed military installations. Since then, the 70-year-old has openly criticized the powerful military in numerous interviews. Khan was hoping for a comeback before the general election in the autumn.
Expert Ahmed Bilal Mehboob from the Pakistani think tank Pildat saw the arrest as a hard blow to Khan’s PTI party. “Khan is the star of the campaign,” Mehboob said. Party supporters could turn their backs on Khan and switch camps. “Time will tell how great the damage will be to Khan’s party,” he said.
dissolution of Parliament
Only on Thursday did Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announce an early dissolution of parliament for August 9. With the political move, the South Asian country now has one month longer to organize the new election. According to the constitution, this must now take place within 90 days. With a regular end of the legislative period, it would only be 60 days.
Since Pakistan’s founding more than 75 years ago, the South Asian country sandwiched between India and Afghanistan has been rife with unrest and instability. The military ruled for more than half of that time. And even among civilian governments, generals were seen as the force that could decide on the success or failure of political leadership.
