Pakistani authorities have charged the country’s former prime minister, Imran Khan, with attempted murder over the death of a policeman during violent protests last weekend. Khan, who has been imprisoned since 2023, is accused of inciting his followers to violence, leading to the killing of officer Abdul Hameed. According to police official Murtaza Qamar, Hameed was critically injured in clashes between Khan’s supporters and police in Islamabad and died in hospital.
The protests, which were organized by Khan’s supporters to demand his release from prison, turned violent, with both sides engaging in clashes. Police fired tear gas to disperse the protesters, while Khan’s supporters threw stones at them. As a result, dozens of officers were injured, and security forces were deployed to contain the situation.
Khan, who has been the country’s top opposition leader since being ousted from power in 2022, has maintained his innocence and has said that the cases against him are an attempt to sideline him politically by keeping him out of the public arena. His legal team has been fighting for his release, but the charge of attempted murder may make it more difficult for them to secure his freedom.
Imran Khan (Image via Getty)
The authorities are also seeking to entangle Khan in a multitude of legal cases, likely making it even more challenging for his legal team to fight for his release. Khan has already been embroiled in over 150 cases and has been sentenced to several years’ imprisonment in multiple cases. However, his convictions have been overturned in appeals, and he cannot be freed due to pending charges against him.
Along with Khan, a top elected official in the northwest, Ali Amin Gundapur, and hundreds of Khan’s supporters were also charged on Tuesday with defying a ban on public rallies, attacking security forces, and disrupting normal life. The authorities have banned public rallies in Islamabad to prevent further violence, but Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, has vowed to continue its protests until Khan is released.
The charges against Khan have sparked widespread anger and protests across the country, with many of his supporters calling for his release and condemning the government’s actions. The situation has escalated tensions between the government and Khan’s party, with both sides accusing each other of violating the law and provoking violence.
