Islamabad, Pakistan – Since his removing from energy final yr, former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has been slapped with dozens of prices, together with some during which he faces arrest.
In an interview with Al Jazeera on Thursday, Khan stated a minimum of 85 instances have been filed in opposition to him throughout the nation. “Each different day some kind of case comes up,” he stated.
The instances in opposition to the 70-year-old cricketer-turned-politician embody prices of corruption, terrorism, contempt of courts, rioting and even blasphemy.
Right here’s a lowdown on the primary prices in opposition to Khan:
Corruption
The instant authorized problem Khan faces considerations the items he acquired from overseas international locations when he served as prime minister between August 2018 and April 2022.
Prosecutors allege Khan offered these items and hid his wealth in monetary declarations submitted earlier than the election fee.
On March 7, the Excessive Courtroom in Islamabad issued an arrest warrant in opposition to him within the case. The previous premier evaded arrest and as a substitute filed a petition in the identical courtroom requesting the cancellation of the warrant.
The courtroom then requested Khan to seem earlier than it on March 13. The opposition politician, who had been dodging courtroom appearances citing threats to his life, didn’t present up.
A livid courtroom then issued a non-bailable warrant in opposition to Khan, triggering violence in Lahore for 2 days as police, of their try to arrest him, clashed with tons of of the politician’s supporters outdoors his dwelling.
A trial courtroom in Islamabad on Thursday rejected a petition by Khan to droop the warrant for him to seem in courtroom. The order will increase the probability of one other police try to arrest him.
The Islamabad Excessive Courtroom had earlier given Khan a deadline of March 18 to make an look.
On Thursday, he informed Al Jazeera he’ll attend. “I’m showing within the courtroom on the 18th,” he stated, calling the police operation to arrest him 4 days earlier than the deadline “illegal”.
Khan additionally dismissed allegations about promoting the state items he acquired. “Let me make clear this allegation about state items … All the things I’ve completed is lawful,” he stated.
‘Terrorism’
Khan additionally faces “terrorism” prices over a speech he made throughout one of many many rallies he has been holding since dropping energy to demand instant nationwide elections.
Addressing his supporters in Islamabad in August final yr, Khan made some remarks in opposition to his political opponents, and police and judicial officers. In his speech, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) occasion chief named a feminine choose who had ordered the arrest of one among his shut aides.
The assertion in opposition to the choose led to a “terrorism” cost in opposition to Khan. If convicted, he even faces disqualification from contesting elections or holding public workplace in future – a setback he can’t afford as he seeks to return to energy in nationwide elections scheduled for later this yr.
If Khan is arrested, the PTI has threatened mass protests, compounding the difficulties for a authorities already battling an financial disaster.
Rioting
Following clashes between Khan’s supporters and the safety forces earlier this week, police in Lahore filed a number of legal prices in opposition to him.
The primary data report, additionally known as FIR, reveals Khan has been accused of rioting, try to homicide, abetment of violence and legal conspiracy below the nation’s anti-terrorism regulation.
Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act, handed in 1997, carries a most sentence of life in jail and even capital punishment.
Comparable prices had been additionally filed in opposition to Khan in October final yr after his occasion employees protested outdoors the workplace of the Election Fee of Pakistan (ECP).
The demonstration was in response to the ECP’s resolution to disqualify Khan from attending parliament for classes over the state items case.
Khan was additionally charged with a minimum of 17 instances in numerous police stations in Islamabad after a “lengthy march” he led in Could final yr to protest his removing from energy.
Almost all of the instances included prices of abetment of violence, rioting, harm to public property and legal intimidation amongst others.
Khan was granted pre-arrest bail in all of the instances.
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