Imran Khan's arrest triggers mayhem in Pakistan, supporters storm army HQ, burn police vehicles: Key things to know

Supporters of Pakistan's former PM Imran Khan block a road as police fire tear gas shell to disperse them in Karachi (AP Photo)

Pakistan witnessed widespread clashes and mayhem on the streets after former premier Imran Khan was arrested by the country's paramilitary force on May 9.

The supporters of his party, Pakistan's Tehreek-e-Insaf, stormed the army headquarters in Rawalpindi and the corps commanders' residence in Lahore, local media reports said.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code were issued in the provinces of Punjab and Balochistan, as the protests turned violent. Several police vehicles were torched, and scores were left injured in the clashes that broke out.

The government has snapped social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook and Youtube, to stop the circulation of rumours and misinformation, an official said.

Khan has reportedly been summoned before the anti-graft court on May 10. He has been sent in the custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Pakistan's Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said.

Here are the key things to know:

Section 144 imposed in Pakistan's Punjab province

Section 144, which bars the assembly of more than five persons in public, has been imposed in Pakistan's Punjab province amid widespread clashes between the supporters of Imran Khan's Tehreek-e-Insaf party and police personnel. The restrictions have been imposed for two days amid “serious security threats", a government notification said.

Indian defence forces keeping close watch on situation in Pakistan: Report

The Indian defence forces are maintaining a close watch on the situation that is emerging in Pakistan following the arrest of Imran Khan, news agency ANI reported, citing defence sources. A strong vigil is being kept along the Line of Control and the international border that demarcates the two countries, the sources reportedly said.

PTI Sindh chief Ai Haider Zaidi 'abducted'

Ali Haider Zaidi, the president of PTI's Sindh province, has been "abducted", as per a statement issued by the party. It shared a footage on social media which shows security personnel whisking away Zaidi in a security vehicle.

President PTI Sindh abducted from Karachi. Democracy is suspended in this country, people must save Pakistan now. #ReleaseImranKhan pic.twitter.com/lBAHizTaiM

— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 9, 2023

Imran Khan's politics based on 'blatant lies': PM Shehbaz Sharif

The politics of Imran Khan is based on "blatant lies" and "U-turns", Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said, hours after the PTI chief's arrest. "Bending the judiciary to your whims and behaving as if rules don't apply to you. What I said about you in my tweet is established by facts over the past few years," he added.

PTI shares visuals of protests held in various cities

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which is headed by Khan, shared visuals of the protests held by its supporters against the ex-PM's arrest in different cities across the country.

پوری قوم کا فوری مطالبہ !!#ReleaseImranKhan pic.twitter.com/By4jte1OvV

— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 9, 2023

'Tell us why Imran Khan has been arrested': Islamabad HC summons top officials, reserves judgement

The Islamabad High Court summoned top officials and police officers after paramilitary Rangers dramatically arrested former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan in a corruption case from the court premises but reserved its ruling.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamer Farooq took notice of the arrest by paramilitary Rangers when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party chief was present at the court to mark his biometric attendance before the start of the hearing of a corruption case.

"Come to court and tell us why Imran has been arrested and in which case," Justice Farooq had said, ahead of the hearing.

Social media snapped in parts of Pakistan

Social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook and Youtube, has been snapped in parts of Pakistan as clashes rage over the arrest of Khan by the Pakistani Rangers, reports said.

Twitter shut down in various parts of Pakistan. Using a workaround to post this tweet.

— Wajahat Kazmi (@KazmiWajahat) May 9, 2023

Islamabad police says 5 police officers injured, 43 protesters arrested

The police in Islamabad said five officers on duty have been injured in the clashes which erupted with the supporters of PTI. At least 43 protesters have been arrested, the police said in an update shared on social media.

Lahore: PTI supporters set Corps Commander's house on fire

Anguished supporters of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party have set the house of Corps Commander in Lahore on fire, local media reports said. Earlier, it was reporters that the protesters have breached the compound of the military headquarters in Rawalpindi.

Section 144 imposed in Peshawar

Restrictions under Section 144 of the penal code, which bars the assembly of more than five persons in public, has come into effect in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where Khan's PTI holds massive support.

Police vehicles burnt in Lahore; emergency declared in Quetta hospitals

Several police vehicles have been set ablaze in Lahore, where scores of protesters have hit the streets following the arrest of Khan. In Quetta, where casualties have been reported due to the clashes between the security personnel and protesters, an emergency has been declared in all hospitals.

Deaths due to clashes in Quetta, Lahore; Section 144 imposed in Balochistan: Reports

Multiple fatalities have been reported due to the clashes between PTI supporters and security forces in Quetta and Lahore, local media reports said. In Balochistan, where the agitation has flared up, the authorities have imposed Section 144 of the penal code which bars the assembly of more than five persons in public.

Khan an ally of country's enemies: Pak Interior Minister

Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah accused Khan of playing in foreign hands and issuing statements against the state institutions. "Khan is an ally of the enemies of the country and trying to damage the country," he said.

The minister said that paramilitary Rangers was legally performing its duty when its officials carried out the arrest. He said that the government had nothing to do with the arrest which was carried out on the orders of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

He said that there were "dozens" of other cases with corruption inquiries in progress against the former premier.

"No sort of torture was inflicted on him (Khan)," the interior minister said.

Protesters enter military headquarters' compound in Rawalpindi

Supporters of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, who have blamed the country's military for the action taken against their leader, have entered the military compound in Rawalpindi to mark their angst, local media reports said. In Lahore, they have stormed outside the residences of army commanders, the reports added.

@PTIofficial protesters are easily entering GHQ, IV CORPS LAHORE and even getting into the Commander's personal bedroom .How is this possible. Why are the gates widely Open. Can anyone please explain?? #نکلو_خان_کی_زندگی_بچاؤ#imrankhan#IAm_FaisalNaseer#ImranKhanArrestpic.twitter.com/BkTFSI4jj5

— Ahsan Khan Niazi (@Ahsanniazi225) May 9, 2023

Imran Khan's PTI calls for nationwide shutdown

PTI gave a call for nationwide shutdown shortly after Khan was arrested by the Pakistani Rangers outside the Islamabad High Court. "It’s your time, people of Pakistan. Khan has always stood for you, now its time to stand for him," the party posted on Twitter, as it issued a clarion call to all of its cadres and supporters.

Imran Khan to be produced before anti-corruption court tomorrow: Reports

Khan will be produced before an anti-corruption court in Islamabad on May 10, Geo TV reported. The ex-PM has been referred to a seven-member medical board for medical examination at the Islamabad-based Poly Clinic.

What is the case in which Imran Khan was arrested?

Pakistan's Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that Khan was arrested for causing loss to the national treasury in a corruption case.

"The arrest has been made by the NAB in the Al-Qadir Trust case," Sanaullah said, adding that the arrest was made on merit and Khan was in the custody of the anti-graft watchdog.

Sanaullah said that the UK authorities in a money-laundering case had confiscated 190 million pound or Rs 60 billion money of a Pakistani property tycoon with the objective to transfer it to the government of Pakistan.

However, Khan is accused of allowing the tycoon to get the money back rather than depositing it in the state and use it to pay a fine imposed by the Supreme Court in another case.

The tycoon in return provided 23.1 hectare (458-kanals) in Sohawa in Jhelum district and 12.1 hectare (240 kanals) in Banigala near Islamabad to the Al-Qadir Trust, as per the charges pressed by the anti-graft body.

The minister claimed that the Al-Qadir Trust was registered in the name of Khan's wife Bushra Bibi and her close friend Farah Gogi. He also said that the worth of the property was about 6-7 billion rupees. "Khan caused a huge loss to the state treasury," he said, and urged the court to return the same money to the government.

With PTI inputs