Former Pakistani PM Imran Khan Released on Bail

This article was last updated on May 12, 2023

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Former Pakistani PM Imran Khan Released on Bail, But Can’t be Rearrested for Two Weeks

Former Pakistani Prime Minister, Imran Khan, has been released on bail by an Islamabad court on Tuesday, after he was arrested for corruption. The court also ruled that he could not be arrested again for the next two weeks.

The Arrest

Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), shared a video of the arrest on Tuesday, which involved a group of heavily armed security guards taking him away in a van. This came after the Interior Minister, Rana Sanaullah, stated that the former Prime Minister had not reported to the anti-corruption watchdog after an arrest warrant had been issued against him, which was the reason for his arrest.

Unrest and Violence

The arrest sparked great unrest and violence in the country, with demonstrations occurring in several Pakistani cities. According to reports, four people were killed during the unrest. Seven leaders of Khan’s party were also detained on Thursday, with police indicating that they were involved in organizing the demonstrations. Among the detainees was Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who served as foreign minister in Khan’s cabinet for four years. The former Finance Minister, Asad Umar, and former Information Minister, Fawad Chaudhry, were also arrested.

A Struggle for Political Power

This is not the first time that Pakistan has faced a political power struggle. Since the country gained independence from Britain in 1947, not one prime minister has completed a full term. Khan managed to stay on for four of the five years of his term.

Implications

Imran Khan’s release on bail is expected to calm tensions in the country, but the situation remains volatile. With a history of violent political protests, Pakistan has a lot at stake in ensuring a peaceful transition of power. Meanwhile, Khan’s supporters are rooting for his innocence and demanding that the charges against him be dropped.