Pakistani Police Charges Imran Khan And Wife
ISLAMABAD — Pakistani police have filed multiple charges against jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, his wife and others for inciting violence, officials said Thursday, following days of protests and clashes that left at least six people dead and dozens injured.
Khan's wife Bushra Bibi led thousands of people from the north-west of the country to march on the capital Islamabad to demand the release of Khan, who has been in prison since August 2023. Khan still faces more than 150 charges but supporters say they are politically motivated. .
Bibi, a spiritual healer, fled when police raided on Tuesday midnight to disperse thousands of protesters. He was released from jail on bail in a connection case when he led a protest from the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Authorities said police have arrested nearly 1,000 protesters since Sunday in and around Islamabad.
At least six people, including four security guards, were killed when a car plowed into them, according to Islamabad police who blamed Khan's supporters for the deaths.
Police filed charges against Khan, Bibi and others in Islamabad and the city of Rawalpindi under Pakistan's anti-terrorism laws. Authorities accuse them of inciting people to attack security forces and disrupt peace.
Khan faces more than 150 charges but his political party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf or PTI, says it will continue to push for his release.
On Thursday, Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told international media that Khan's supporters “wanted to take over the capital” and that some of them were armed. .
Iqbal said security forces used tear gas and batons to disperse the crowd. He rejected PTI's claim that some of Khan's supporters were killed by police in live firing. He went on to say that it was not a peaceful meeting because the protesters were using guns.
It is the latest upheaval to rock the country since Khan's ouster in 2022.
Pakistan's Stock Exchange lost more than $1.7 billion on Tuesday due to political tensions, but recovered on Thursday to surpass 100,000 points for the first time. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the recovery was a sign of economic development.
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