Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, May 09, 2025

Tense mood grips Pakistan ahead of Imran Khan hearing

Tense mood grips Pakistan ahead of Imran Khan hearing

Pakistan remains on edge ahead of former prime minister Imran Khan's hearing on corruption charges, a day after his dramatic arrest.
Local media have reported at least two deaths amid demonstrations in Pakistan.

A police guest house has been declared a "courtroom" for the hearing on Wednesday, local authorities said.

Police have carried out raids and arrested supporters of Mr Khan's party in the hours since his arrest.

The former international cricket star is facing dozens of charges relating to corruption and sedition, which he says are politically motivated.

Pictures early on Wednesday local time showed lines of officers forming in front of the police guest house in the capital Islamabad.

Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said he has not had access to legal counsel, and that the party will challenge the legality of his arrest in court.

Other photos show scores of vehicles badly burned in Pakistan's largest city Karachi, after overnight protests.

Mobile internet services remain inaccessible across the country. Pakistan's telecommunication authorities said they had suspended services on instructions from the interior ministry.

Schools also remain closed, some highways have been blocked and there is little traffic plying roads in major cities.

Protests are expected to continue on Wednesday, with some demonstrators planning to march to Islamabad and the PTI calling for a nationwide strike.

"This was last night, the crowds will be bigger today to protect Imran Khan!" PTI posted on its official Twitter account, accompanied by a clip of a mass protest on Tuesday evening.

Khan's supporters have also taken to the streets in the UK, US and Canada, among other countries, following his detention.

Speaking to the BBC's Newshour, Mr Khan's spokesman, Raoof Hasan, said he expected "the worst" and that the arrest could plunge the country "into chaos and anarchy".

"We're facing multiple crises. There is an economic crisis, there is a political crisis, there is a cost of livelihood crisis and consequently this occasion will be a catharsis for them to step out and I fear a fair amount of violence is going to be back."

Khan was arrested on Tuesday while in court in Islamabad to face charges in various graft cases.

Dramatic footage showed dozens of security officers forcibly removing the 70-year-old Khan from court, then bundling him into a police vehicle.

Tuesday's arrest was based on a new warrant for a separate graft case, connected to a case involving the transfer of land for Al-Qadir University, near Islamabad. It is the latest in an escalating political battle between Mr Khan and Pakistan's powerful army.

Many analysts believe Mr Khan's election win in 2018 happened with the help of the military. But now in opposition, he has become one of the military's most vocal critics.

Khan was ousted as prime minister in April last year and has been campaigning for early elections since then. The polls are due to be held later this year.

Hours before the arrest, party officials released a pre-recorded video by Mr Khan, in which he urged supporters to come out in support of "true freedom".

"My Pakistanis, by the time these words reach you I would have been detained under an illegitimate case," he says in the video.

"One thing should become clear for all of you from this is that fundamental rights in Pakistan, the rights given to us by our constitution and democracy, have been buried."

The international community has also responded to the chaos in Pakistan.

"Restraint and cool headedness are needed" in these tense times, the EU said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Pakistan's challenges can only be addressed and its pathway can only be determined by Pakistanis themselves, through sincere dialogue and in line with the rule of law," it said.

A spokesman from the US State Department called for the "respect of democratic principles and the rule of law around the world".
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Warren Buffett to Step Down as Berkshire CEO After Nearly 60 Years
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Pope Francis Laid to Rest in Rome as World Leaders Attend Funeral
Not Child’s Play: How Competitive Gaming Became a Global Economic Empire
California Surpasses Japan to Become the World’s Fourth-Largest Economy
Former U.S. Congressman George Santos sentenced to eighty-seven months for wide-ranging fraud
Israel Considers Limited Strikes on Iran's Nuclear Facilities Amid Diplomatic Efforts
Saudi Arabia Offers Max Verstappen Unprecedented Deal to Join Aston Martin
Global Pistachio Shortage Amid Rising Demand for 'Dubai Chocolate'
IMF Predicts No Global Recession Amid Trade Tensions
Worldwide Markets Decline as U.S.-China Trade Frictions Intensify
OpenAI Lands Unprecedented $40 Billion Investment
Removing the Political Adversary is Dismantling What's Remaining of Turkey's Economy.
Ex-FIFA President and French Football Icon Acquitted of Corruption Allegations
White House Investigates Security Breach After Journalist Accidentally Added to Secret Yemen Strike Chat
Volunteers in Jeddah Ensure No One Goes Hungry During Ramadan Iftar
New Restaurant Opens in Makkah's Iconic Clock Tower for Ramadan Iftar
Saudi Arabia's Project Masam Removes 552 Houthi Mines in Yemen
Saudi Arabia Fines Over 400 Foreign Trucks for Regulatory Violations
Saudi National Campaign for Charitable Work Reports Significant Donations in Ramadan
Historic Al-Hosn Al-Asfal Mosque Restored in Asir as Part of National Heritage Initiative
KSrelief Expands Humanitarian Efforts in Syria, Sudan, and Lebanon
Saudi Arabia Advocates for Global Water Cooperation at Forum
Madinah Governor Tours Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah
Saudi Foreign Minister in Cairo to Lead Meeting on Gaza Developments
Recognition of Saudi and Pakistani Entrepreneurs at Riyadh Ceremony
UAE Announces $1.4 Trillion Investment Plan in the United States
Saudi Arabia Innovates in Soil Quality and Water Conservation
Governor of Taif Engages with Rose and Aromatic Plants Cooperative
Saudi Food and Drug Authority Enhances Preparations for Hajj Season
Saudi Arabia Distributes Aid to Yemen and Romania
Restoration of Historic Al-Qalaah Mosque in Riyadh Underlines Heritage Preservation Efforts
Saudi Arabia Arrests Over 25,000 for Immigration Violations in One Week
UAE’s ADQ and Energy Capital Partners Announce $25 Billion Energy Venture in the U.S.
KSrelief Launches Extensive Ramadan Food Aid Initiative
Ramadan Celebrations Revitalize Historic Jeddah
Makkah Authorities Urge Worshippers to Follow Crowd Management Guidelines
Direct Flights Between Dammam and Damascus Reestablished for Syrian Residents
Saudi Main Index Rises to Close at 11,760 Amid Mixed Market Performance
Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch Visits Prophet's Mosque in Madinah
Cultural Development Fund Hosts Third Annual Storytellers Event in Riyadh
Investment Surge in Fintech, Gaming, and Health Care Across MENA Region
Surging Prices for Religious Tourism in Saudi Arabia Amid Ramadan Rush
Middle Eastern Airlines’ Fleet Projected to Surge Above Global Growth Rates
×