Rawalpindi: Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, currently incarcerated, has been implicated in seven new cases connected to recent PTI protests in the federal capital and other regions.
Khan appeared before an anti-terrorism court (ATC) judge at Adiala Jail following the conclusion of his six-day physical remand related to PTI’s September 28 protest in Rawalpindi. The case, filed at the New Town police station, accuses him of inciting a demonstration that escalated into violent incidents in the city.
During the hearing, Rawalpindi police arrested Khan in connection with additional cases tied to PTI protests on October 5 and November 24, as well as another related to the earlier Rawalpindi demonstration. Despite these new developments, the prosecution did not request an extension of physical custody for any of the cases.
ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah subsequently ordered judicial remand for Khan in all the cases, including the newly registered ones. These cases span multiple police stations and allege that Khan’s calls for protests led to violence.
The most recent PTI protest in November turned particularly tragic, with violent clashes claiming the lives of at least three Rangers personnel and two police officers. PTI, in turn, claimed that 20 of its members also lost their lives during the unrest.
The protest came to an abrupt halt after a late-night crackdown by authorities at Islamabad’s D-Chowk, where law enforcement arrested over 1,000 PTI workers, including more than three dozen Afghan nationals, and seized tear gas canisters and other ammunition.
These developments mark an escalation in legal challenges for the former premier, as authorities continue to crack down on PTI-led protests.
