Pakistan’s former prime minister leader Imran Khan has been charged under the country’s anti-terrorism act as political tensions intensified in the country since his ouster in April.
Pakistani police have charged Imran Khan under anti-terror law after the former prime minister accused the police and a judicial officer at a huge rally in the capital, Islamabad.
“The way Imran Khan made his speech and the threats he made led to fear and terror among the police, judiciary and the common people and it harmed the peace of the country,” stated the report.
The move came after Khan led his party’s rally in Islamabad to show support for his chief of staff Dr Shahbaz Gill who has been arrested over sedition charges. Khan alleges that Gill was tortured during his imprisonment but the government denies it.
During his August 21 speech, Khan intensified his criticism of state institutions, saying the police acted under pressure from “neutrals”, a common euphemism for Pakistan’s military establishment.
“On May 25 when police perpetrated violence against us, I was told by insiders that police acted under orders by above, which means they were under pressure by the neutrals to thrash PTI [Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf] workers,” he said at the rally.
Court grants pre-arrest bail to Imran Khan
On August 22, the Islamabad High Court on Monday granted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI) chief Imran Khan protective bail till August 25 in a case registered against him under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (punishment for acts of terrorism) regarding his comments at his Islamabad rally.
On Sunday night, hundreds of Khan’s supporters gathered outside his home following reports of the police investigation and detained.
Live telecast of Khan’s speeches banned in Pakistan
A day earlier, Pakistan’s media regulatory body imposed a ban on live telecast of Imran Khan’s speeches with immediate effect. Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) accused Khan of leveling “baseless allegations” and “spreading hate speech” against “state institutions and officers”.