The World Briefly
May 10, 2023Fed Up
Pakistan
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Pakistani paramilitary forces arrested former Prime Minister Imran Khan in the capital Tuesday, a move that risks exacerbating the political and economic crises in the South Asian nation, NPR reported, as violent demonstrations erupted across the country.
The troops arrested Khan at an Islamabad courthouse, where he was slated to attend a court hearing concerning one of the dozens of cases he is embroiled in.
A call from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) party for protests against the detention saw supporters clashing with police in several cities and storming military buildings in Lahore and Rawalpindi, Reuters reported, while one person was killed and several injured in Quetta.
Authorities have banned demonstrations in three out of Pakistan’s four provinces as well as in Islamabad and shut down Internet services in some areas of the capital, where demonstrators are expected to march Wednesday.
It wasn’t clear why Khan was arrested but local media reported it was connected to a case filed in Pakistan’s anti-corruption court, which some analysts say is used to target critics of the country’s powerful military.
In recent weeks, the former cricket star-turned-politician accused a military intelligence official of orchestrating a plot to assassinate him. Pakistan’s military released a statement criticizing the political leader’s claims as “highly irresponsible and baseless allegations.”
The former prime minister was ousted last year following a no-confidence vote in parliament after the military said it would no longer support him.
Since then, Khan and his supporters have been holding protests across the country to demand early elections. Pressure against the current government increased after the PTI won a series of by-elections last year, suggesting it had only grown in power since Khan’s removal.
Pakistan’s political turmoil has contributed to the country’s economic crisis, which has led to an increase in food prices and pushed millions to the brink of starvation. Due to the country’s limited foreign currency reserves, there are fears that Pakistan will default on its debt.
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