Imran Khan in court as more violence erupts in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan appeared in court Wednesday, a day after he was dragged from another court and arrested in Islamabad, setting off clashes between his supporters and police. Angry protesters stormed and set fire to a building housing Radio Pakistan in the northwest as the death toll from the violence rose to four.
In Islamabad, a judge was asked to approve keeping the 70-year-old opposition leader in custody for up to 14 days. Khan, who lost power last year but remains the country’s most popular opposition figure, is the seventh former prime minister to be arrested in Pakistan.
His dramatic arrest on Tuesday deepened the political turmoil and sparked violent demonstrations. Two people were killed first, one Tuesday in the southwestern city of Quetta and another in the northwestern city of Peshawar overnight. Two more were in clashes with police Wednesday in Peshawar.
In eastern Punjab province, where authorities said 157 police officers were injured in clashes with Khan supporters, the local government asked the army to step in and restore order.