Following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on corruption allegations, Pakistan police have detained hundreds of his followers for violence that worsens a political crisis in the nuclear-armed nation.
The arrest of the former cricket star and most popular politician in Pakistan on Tuesday, May 9, occurred as the government struggled with a lack of foreign currency and a months-long postponement of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout.
Fallout From Violence
To restore calm after violence late Tuesday night claimed one person's life, Reuters reported that authorities shut down mobile data connections for a second day and temporarily disabled Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.
Essential government buildings and private and public cars were reportedly targeted by Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party members, according to the authorities. Twenty-five police cars and more than 14 government buildings were allegedly set on fire in Punjab province, and officials said that 945 of his followers had been detained there.
During a press conference, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal warned that the government would not stand for this and that legal action would be taken. "These violent attacks were not the outcome of any public outpouring, they were planned by the PTI rank and file."
After violent clashes broke out between Khan's followers and police, authorities in three of Pakistan's four provinces issued an emergency order prohibiting any assemblies.
Khan's Arrest
On Tuesday, paramilitary soldiers apprehended Khan outside a tribunal in Islamabad. At the time of his arrest, he appeared at the Islamabad High Court to hear his bail petitions on politically motivated corruption charges against him.
In the video clips that circulated the social media, law enforcement officers can be seen surrounding Khan before he is put into an armored vehicle. Notably, Khan was elected prime minister of Pakistan in 2018.
Khan openly implicated Shehbaz Sharif, a prominent military officer in Pakistan, for the conspiracy after barely escaping an assassination attempt in November 2022.
This week, a spokesperson for the army warned Khan for making "highly irresponsible and baseless allegations against a serving senior military officer without any evidence." On Tuesday, Khan reacted with a video message in which he said he does not need to lie.
The PTI and Khan's supporters have called for roadblocks and large-scale protests throughout Pakistan in an effort to secure Khan's release. The PTI's official Twitter account recently sent a message with the hashtag "#ReleaseImranKhan" and the image "SHUTDOWN PAKISTAN."
When Khan was taken into custody, Pakistan's foreign currency reserves were barely enough to pay imports for a month, yet the IMF rescue package had been delayed.
