Police barred until 1 September from arresting former PM, whose supporters gathered outside court
Shah Meer Baloch and agencies | The Guardian
A Pakistani court has barred officers from arresting the former prime minister Imran Khan until the end of the month, according to officials, after police filed terrorism charges against him.
The court protected Khan, the leader of Pakistan’s opposition, from arrest until 1 September over accusations that during a speech at the weekend, he threatened police officers and a judge.
Events before the court’s decision had raised fears of violent clashes between police and Khan, who is leading mass rallies and seeking snap elections after being ousted.
The government says elections will be held as scheduled next year.
On Thursday, Khan told reporters outside the court that he never threatened anyone. He said the terrorism charges against him were politically motivated and that Shehbaz Sharif’s government feared his growing popularity.
“You are making fun of Pakistan,” Khan said of Sharif’s government.
Later, Khan went to another court where a criminal case was registered against him this week on charges of defying a ban on staging rallies in the capital, Islamabad. He was protected from arrest in that case as well until 7 September.
Earlier, in the alleged terrorism case, Khan’s lawyer, Babar Awan, requested the court grant bail to Khan. Awan said the charges filed against Khan were “an act of revenge”.
Arriving at court, Khan was asked to walk toward the courtroom as ordinary suspects do. The court agreed to extend Khan’s protection from arrest until 1 September.
Hundreds of Khan’s supporters gathered outside the court building, chanting slogans against Sharif’s government. Protesters said Khan was being politically victimised by Sharif’s government. Later, Khan left the court for his home on the outskirts of Islamabad.
Sharif replaced Khan in April when the former cricket star turned Islamist politician was ousted in a no-confidence vote in parliament. Legal experts say Khan could face from several months to 14 years in prison, the equivalent of a life sentence, if he is found guilty of the terrorism charges in the trial, which has not started yet.
Thursday’s appearance by Khan before the anti-terrorism tribunal amid tight security was the latest development in the saga between Pakistan’s government and the former prime minister, who has been holding mass rallies as he seeks to return to power.
Khan is also due to appear before the Islamabad high court on 31 August to face contempt proceedings on charges of threatening a judge. A conviction in this case would disqualify him from politics for life under Pakistani law, as no convicted person can run for office.
It is the second time Khan has faced contempt charges. After elections in 1993 he was summoned but pardoned by the supreme court after describing the conduct of the judiciary as “shameful” and saying it did not ensure free and fair elections.
Legal experts say Khan has limited options and could avoid a conviction if he apologises for his remarks against Judge Zeba Chaudhry, after he told her to “get ready for it, we will also take action against you”.
Since his ousting as PM, Khan has alleged – without providing evidence – that Pakistan’s powerful military took part in a US plot to unseat him. Washington, the Pakistani military and the government of Sharif have all denied the allegation.
Khan came to power promising to break the pattern of family rule in Pakistan. His opponents contend he was elected with help from the powerful military, which has ruled the country for half of its 75-year history. Since his removal from power Khan has demanded early elections and vowed to oust Sharif’s government through “pressure from the people”.
Nusrat Javed, a political analyst and author, said the military supported Khan as an alternative to dynastic politics and to break the cycle of power sharing.
“Khan is a true populist and charismatic personality and his narrative, ‘us vs them’, made him the military’s man to back him against the Sharifs and Bhuttos,” said Javed, referring to families who have long dominated the country’s politics.
Dr Ram Bhat, an author and expert in social media and politics, said: “Khan has cultivated a loyal online following and it helps him to weaponise social media for political ends. The physical spectacle of large rallies is mediated efficiently and at scale, giving him considerable media power.
“The establishment will make a mistake if it enables him to cash in on a hero or a victim image.”
The Guardian
