Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Thursday invalidated the arrest of the former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khanwhich went live this week violent demonstrations of his supporters across the country and forced the deployment of the army.
“His arrest is invalid and the whole process needs to be reviewed,” he told former prime minister Umar Ata Bandial, president of the Supreme Court, whose lawyers have appealed against the arrest on Tuesday of corruption allegations.
The 70-year-old politician told the court he had been “treated like a terrorist”.
The decision was taken in a brief hearing convened in extremis by the highest court, which had previously expressed doubts about the manner in which the arrest was committed, which was legalized by the Islamabad High Court after his execution.
The judges “were of the opinion that due process of law was not followed when Imran Khan was arrested,” a judicial official from the highest judiciary, Ishtiaq Ahmed, said earlier.
Imran Khan lost power in April 2022 but still very popular and hopes to return to power soon.
The politician was arrested by security forces on Tuesday in a corruption case when he went to court to ask for bail in another of several cases brought against him.
He was placed in pre-trial detention for eight days in connection with a corruption case, following a decision by a special court in the capital Islamabad.
his arrest sparked violent demonstrations. On Thursday, the police continued to patrol the streets across the country and arrested supporters of the former prime minister.
In this sense, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has asked for “calm” on the Pakistani security forces, and on the demonstrators to “refrain from all violence”.
“Freedom of expression” and “the rule of law are essential for resolving political conflicts. Disproportionate force has no place,” Türk wrote on Twitter.
After months of political crisis, in which increasingly openly challenged the armyA key political player in Pakistan, Imran Khan was arrested in Islamabad on Tuesday.
The arrest, which had been hanging like a sword of Damocles for weeks, drew the ire of supporters of his party, Pakistan Tehreek and Insaf (PTI, Movement for Justice).
Thousands of them demonstrated and staged clashes with the security forces.
Uncharacteristically in Pakistan, protesters attacked symbols of military power, accusing the army of helping to remove Imran Khan from power, which the military denies.
At least nine people have died in incidents related to the demonstrations, according to police and health sources.
AFP extension
ap
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.