Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan, has been taken into custody following a three-year prison sentence for unlawfully selling state gifts.
On Saturday, police were observed surrounding his residence in Lahore, Pakistan's eastern city, following the announcement of the verdict. The 70-year-old ex-cricketer, who served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022, was sentenced for unlawfully selling state gifts. The election commission conducted an inquiry and found him guilty of misusing his position to buy and sell gifts received during foreign visits, totaling over 140 million Pakistani rupees ($635,000).
"Imran Khan has been arrested at his residence," stated Mr. Khan's lawyer, Intezar Panjotha. "We are preparing a petition to challenge the decision in the high court."
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Lahore's Police Chief, Bilal Siddique Kamiana, confirmed the arrest and mentioned that Mr. Khan is being taken to the capital, Islamabad.
In a pre-recorded video statement shared on Twitter, Mr. Khan expressed that his arrest was "anticipated."
"People of Pakistan, by the time you see this video, I will have been arrested and imprisoned," he stated.
"I have one request and an appeal to make: please do not remain silent at home."
"The sacrifice I am making is not for myself, but for my country, for you, and for the future of your children. If you do not stand up for your country, you will become servants, and there is no worthy life in servitude."
Imran Khan has consistently asserted that the growing number of cases against him are politically motivated, aimed at preventing him from running in elections. This recent arrest could indeed serve that purpose.
This development adds more risk and tension to an already volatile political climate in Pakistan, and its timing is noteworthy. The government of Shehbaz Sharif recently announced a caretaker government to take over on 9 August, signaling the beginning of the three-month countdown to the expected November elections.
The previous arrest of Mr. Khan in May sparked widespread protests and clashes between his supporters and the police. The nation witnessed rare attacks on military installations, underscoring the depth of anger and frustration. Since then, numerous members of Mr. Khan's PTI party have been arrested or have chosen to leave the party.
With over 150 charges looming over the former cricket star, there has been an unavoidable sense that he would face arrest again, and in recent days, strong rumors suggested its imminent occurrence.
There remains a possibility that the supreme court may once again intervene, and Mr. Khan's legal team could succeed in their appeal against the three-year prison sentence. They argue that it violates the constitution. However, this time, Mr. Khan was not present in court to hear the verdict. Instead, the police apprehended him at his residence in Lahore.
The potential for widespread protest exists once more. Mr. Khan undeniably commands a significant following, and he firmly believes he could win an election. The crucial question is whether he can still inspire enough support for people to risk taking to the streets in large numbers, despite the inherent risks involved.
Mr. Khan has firmly denied any wrongdoing, and his political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has stated that they have already filed another appeal to the country's supreme court.
According to legal experts, this conviction could effectively put an end to his prospects of participating in the national elections, which are mandated to take place before November.
Pakistan's information minister, Maryam Aurangzeb, refuted any connection between Khan's arrest and the upcoming elections, stating that he was "found guilty of illegal practices, corruption, concealing assets, and providing inaccurate information in tax returns."
She asserted that the conviction followed a thorough investigation and proper legal proceedings, during which Mr. Khan had ample opportunities to defend himself. However, instead of using the time to present his defense, he engaged in tactics to delay the court proceedings, making repeated visits to the high court and supreme court in an attempt to stall the case.
Following his ousting from power through a no-confidence vote in April of the previous year, Mr. Khan has been entangled in more than 150 legal cases, encompassing allegations of corruption, terrorism, and inciting violence during the deadly protests that led his supporters to attack government and military properties across the country in May.
The incident was triggered by the arrest of the prominent opposition leader on corruption charges on 9th May.
He was released three days later following a ruling by Pakistan's Supreme Court.
Shortly after being granted bail, Mr. Khan shared with Sky News that the government of Pakistan is fearful of facing elections and is anxious about being defeated by his party at the polls.
On Saturday, a group of pro-Khan lawyers gathered at his residence, chanting slogans and protesting his conviction and arrest. However, there were no immediate signs of the unrest witnessed in May.
Faheem Malik, the UK information secretary of the PTI party, expressed his shock at Mr. Khan's latest arrest, stating that the entire country is in turmoil. He described the court's decision as "embarrassing" and asserted that the government aims to silence Mr. Khan due to his immense popularity and the likelihood of him securing a "landslide victory" in the upcoming elections.
"They don't want Imran Khan to participate in the election," Mr. Malik added.
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