Protests as former Pakistan PM Khan arrested

STORY: Pakistan's anti-corruption agency arrested former Prime Minister Imran Khan at Islamabad’s High Court on Tuesday (May 9), sparking violent clashes between protesters and police.

Footage of his arrest shows paramilitary forces in riot-control gear leading a surrounded Khan into a black van.

His arrest comes a day after the military issued a rare rebuke of the former prime minster for continuously accusing a senior military official of attempting to assassinate him.

Shortly before his arrest, Khan posted the following video online.

In it, he says he’s “prepared to go to jail”, but he adds there are no cases against him that would warrant an arrest.

Khan's Tehreek-e-Insaf party immediately called for mass protests.

Hundreds of supporters blocked streets in Khan's home town of Lahore, where police have been put on high alert.

And in Karachi, police fired tear gas at demonstrators, who were throwing stones.

Footage shared by Khan's party also appeared to show one of his lawyers being treated for what appears to be a head injury he reportedly obtained during a police scuffle.

The former prime minister was ousted from power in April 2022.

Since then, he has been tirelessly campaigning for an early general election, despite having been wounded in November in a gun attack.

But if convicted this time, Khan faces being barred from holding public office.

Khan’s arrest comes at a time when ordinary Pakistanis are reeling from the worst economic crisis in decades.

High inflation, anaemic growth and a delayed International Monetary Fund bailout are already threatening turmoil in their own right.