“Imran Khan’s car has been surrounded."
Imran Khan has been arrested in Islamabad during an appearance at the High Court.
The former Pakistan Prime Minister was taken into custody by Pakistani Rangers from the premises, where he had gone to seek bail.
He was arrested in a corruption case.
PTI lawyer Faisal Chaudhry confirmed the arrest, which prompted Islamabad High Court’s Chief Justice Aamer Farooq to direct the Islamabad police chief, the interior ministry secretary and the additional attorney general to appear before the court within 15 minutes.
Confirming the arrest, Inspector General of Police Dr Akbar Nasir Khan said that Khan was arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust case, adding that the situation is under control.
Members of Khan’s PTI Party have expressed their anger at the arrest.
PTI Vice President Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that the IHC has been “occupied by the Rangers” and lawyers “are being subjected to torture”.
He added: “Imran Khan’s car has been surrounded.”
In another tweet, he claimed that Imran Khan had been “abducted” from the court premises while several lawyers and members of the public had been “tortured”.
Fawad said: “Imran Khan has been whisked away by unknown people to an unknown location.”
PTI leader Hammad Azhar said that Imran’s arrest was “not acceptable” and asserted that the PTI chief “is our red line”.
He called for citizens to take to the streets to protest against Khan’s arrest.
Fawad’s claims were seemingly corroborated by PTI’s Azhar Mashwani, who also said that Imran Khan had been “abducted”.
In a video message, PTI leader Musarrat Cheema said:
“They are torturing Imran Khan right now […] they are beating Khan sahib. They have done something with Khan sahib.”
???????????? High alert by @MusarratCheema !! pic.twitter.com/V4Pt3ypePS
— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 9, 2023
The arrest comes a few months after there were clashes between police and his supporters.
In March 2023, hundreds of Khan supporters gathered outside his home after a police team arrived from Islamabad to arrest him on a court order.
Two non-bailable arrest warrants had been issued against Imran Khan on March 13, 2023, after he failed to appear in courts in cases linked to the Toshakhana reference and threatening a female additional district and sessions judge.
Videos on social media showed tear gas being thrown at his home.
In November 2022, Imran Khan survived an assassination attempt.
He was giving a speech at a rally in Gujranwala when a gunman opened fire, shooting Khan in the leg.
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