Terrorism charges filed against former Pakistan PM Imran Khan over Islamabad speech
- The charges relate to a speech he gave on Saturday in which he vowed to sue police and a female judge and alleged that a close aide had been tortured
- Khan could face several years in prison from the charges. However, he has not been detained on other charges levied against him in recent campaigning
Khan himself appeared to still be free and had not immediately addressed the police charges being lodged against him. Pakistan’s opposition Tehreek-e-Insaf party, Khan’s political party, published online videos showing supporters surrounding his home to potentially stop police from reaching it.
Hundreds remained there early on Monday. Tehreek-e-Insaf warned that it will hold nationwide rallies if Khan is arrested.
The report against Khan includes testimony from Magistrate Judge Ali Javed, who described being at the Islamabad rally and hearing Khan criticise the inspector-general of Pakistan’s police and another judge. Khan went on to reportedly say: “You also get ready for it, we will also take action against you. All of you must be ashamed.”
Khan could face several years in prison from the new charges, which accuse him of threatening police officers and the judge. However, he’s not been detained on other lesser charges levied against him in his recent campaigning against the government.
The Pakistani judiciary also has a history of politicisation and taking sides in power struggles between the military, the civilian government and opposition politicians, according to the Washington-based advocacy group Freedom House.
Police arrested Khan’s political aide, Shahbaz Gill, earlier this month after he appeared on the private television channel ARY TV and urged soldiers and officers to refuse to obey “illegal orders” from the military leadership. Gill was charged with treason, which under Pakistani law carries the death penalty. ARY also remains off-air in Pakistan following the broadcast.
Khan has alleged police have abused Gill while in custody. Police say Gill suffers from asthma and has not been abused while detained. Khan’s speech on Saturday in Islamabad focused primarily on Gill’s arrest.
Meanwhile, police separately arrested journalist Jameel Farooqi in Karachi over his allegations that Gill had been tortured by police. Farooqi is a vocal supporter of Khan.