Former
Prime Minister Imran Khan has asked the chief justice of
Pakistan to allow him to appear for court proceedings virtually
to reduce the risk of any threat to his life.
Khan made the plea in a video
message on Monday as his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party
prepared for a rally in Lahore on March 22.
Supporters of Khan’s party, clashed with police in the city
of Lahore last week as they attempted to arrest him at his home,
and later with police in Islamabad as he arrived to appear
before a court on Saturday.
“My life is in danger, why must I appear in court,” said
Khan in a live video stream, asking to appear by video
conference for court proceedings and vowing: “I will appear for
all cases”.
Meanwhile, police in Pakistan have arrested dozens of supporters and
aides of Khan in raids in two cities as part of a crackdown on
those involved in recent clashes with the security forces,
Khan’s party and police said on Monday.
Khan, a former cricket star, was prime minister from 2018
until 2022, when he was ousted from office in a parliamentary
vote. Since then he has been demanding a snap election and
holding protest rallies across the country to press his case.
His successor as prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has
rejected his demand and said an election would be held as
scheduled later this year.
Khan, 70, is facing several legal cases, including one that
prompted a failed attempt to arrest him on Tuesday after a court
issued warrants for his arrest for not appearing before it.
Clashes between Khan’s supporters and the security forces
have brought a new round of political chaos to Pakistan, which
is in the midst of a crippling economic crisis.
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Police raids on leaders’ houses
Khan says the government and the powerful military are trying to stop him from contesting the next election, scheduled for November. If convicted in a case, Khan could face disqualification from the polls.
Both the government and military deny this.
Police in both Lahore and Islamabad confirmed the raids and the arrest of PTI workers they said were involved in clashes with police and arson.
“Police are raiding the houses because seven cases on various charges, including terrorism, have been registered against the leaders and workers,” Lahore police chief Bilal Kamiana told Reuters news agency referring to the clashes with police.
He said 125 activists had been arrested in Lahore, including some last week.
In Islamabad, a police spokesman said 198 PTI supporters had been arrested in connection with arson and attacks on police in which 58 people were injured and more than a dozen vehicles, including some police cars, were set ablaze.
More raids were being carried out, the spokesman said.
Khan, remembered by many for his success as a cricket player and later for his charity work, won considerable support among sections of the electorate with his conservative, nationalistic policies.
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