ISLAMABAD — Following days of unrest resulting in at least six deaths and numerous injuries, Pakistani authorities have filed multiple charges against jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, his wife, and others for inciting violence, officials announced Thursday.
Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, led a large demonstration from the country’s northwest, marching toward Islamabad to advocate for Khan’s release from prison, where he has been held since August 2023. While Khan faces over 150 charges, his supporters contend they are politically motivated.
Bibi, a spiritual healer, left the area during a Tuesday night police operation to disperse thousands of protesters. She was out on bail for a corruption charge at the time she led the protest originating in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Authorities reported the arrest of approximately 1,000 demonstrators in and around Islamabad since Sunday.
Islamabad police attribute the deaths of six individuals, including four security personnel, to a vehicle collision, blaming Khan’s supporters for the incident.
Charges under Pakistan’s anti-terrorism laws have been brought against Khan, Bibi, and others in Islamabad and Rawalpindi for allegedly inciting attacks on security forces and disturbing public order.
Khan faces over 150 charges, but his party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), maintains its commitment to securing his release.
On Thursday, Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar informed international media that Khan’s supporters aimed to seize the capital and that some possessed weapons, which were confiscated during the overnight raid.
Iqbal stated that security forces employed tear gas and batons to control the crowds, refuting PTI claims of deaths resulting from police gunfire. He argued that the use of firearms by protesters negated the claim of a peaceful protest.
This is the latest in a series of crises impacting the nation since Khan’s removal from office in 2022.
Pakistan’s Stock Exchange experienced a loss exceeding $1.7 billion on Tuesday due to the political instability, but rebounded Thursday, surpassing 100,000 points for the first time. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attributed this recovery to economic improvement.