Pakistan: Former PM Imran Khan arrested in connection with attack on Army headquarters last year

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the attack on the Pakistan Army headquarters in Rawalpindi on May 9 last year. The arrest was made shortly after a release warrant was issued in the cipher case. The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi had summoned the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder, who is already in custody facing cipher and graft charges, for the May 9 cases on Tuesday. However, Khan attended the court’s proceedings via video link as he could not be produced in the court by Adiala jail authorities owing to security concerns. During the hearing of the cases, police sought physical remand of the 71-year-old founder in the GHQ attack case, however, ATC Judge Malik Aijaz Asif turned down the request, Geo News reported. The judge directed the police to interrogate Khan in Adiala prison, it added. On Monday, the special court formed to hear cases under the Official Secrets Act had issued his release orders in the cipher case. Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain issued the release order of Khan, stating that the former premier’s bail had been approved and he shall be released if not wanted in any other case. Despite having the release order, Khan remains behind bars due to being arrested in the Toshakhna and 190 million pound Al-Qadir Trust scandal. On May 9, 2023, violent protests erupted after the arrest of Khan by paramilitary Rangers in Islamabad. Over 20 military installations and state buildings, including the army headquarters in Rawalpindi, were damaged or torched in the violent protests that followed Khan’s arrest in a corruption case. The party ran into trouble after the May 9 violence by its supporters. Khan and several of his party leaders have been facing numerous cases since the ouster of the party from power in April 2022 and later in the wake of the May 9 violence. Khan was ousted through a vote of no-confidence in April 2022. He was incarcerated on August 5 last year, after an Islamabad court sentenced him to three years in prison in the Toshakhana case. He was lodged in the Attock District Jail to serve his prison term. Later, his sentence was suspended by the Islamabad High Court, but then he was arrested in the cipher case and remained in the Attock jail on judicial remand. He was later shifted to Adiala jail. With inputs from agencies.