Chaos prevailed for the second straight day in Pakistan since the country's former Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested on Tuesday, 9 May.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman's legal woes grew on Wednesday, 10 May, after an Islamabad court sent him to remand custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for eight days.
Outside the courtroom, protests staged by Khan's supporters continued to grow violent. Here are the top 10 developments about the situation in Pakistan on Wednesday.
10 Key Highlights on Day 2 of Turmoil in Pakistan
1. 8 Day Remand: An Islamabad sessions court approved the physical remand of Khan for eight days in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust Case, AFP reported. While the NAB had sought a 14-day physical remand for Khan, his lawyers argued about the legality of the arrest.
2. Toshakhana Indictment: Even as hearings in the Al-Qadir Trust land deal case were ongoing, Khan was indicted by another court in connection with the Toshakhana corruption case
3. Violence in Peshawar: An ambulance was set on fire and destroyed by protesters near Jinnah Park on Peshawar's GT road in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to a statement from a spokesperson for Edhi, a non-profit social welfare organisation.
4. Violence in Islamabad: The Islamabad Police said that the capital’s “Ramna police station is being set on fire," a few moments after an armoured carrier was set ablaze. Authorities, in a statement on Twitter, said that protesters fired at police personnel in the area, asking residents not to step out of their houses unnecessarily.
5. Violence in Karachi and Lahore: State property including police vans and an empty Rangers outpost, were set on fire in Karachi, according to Murtaza Wahab, the spokesperson for the Sindh government. Meanwhile, in Lahore, the Punjab IGP claimed that protesters opened fire at “a spot in Mianwali from where our aircraft take off to protect this country” and attacked police stations.
6. PTI leaders targeted: Azhar Mashwani, an aide of Imran Khan, claimed that people in plain clothes and from the counterterrorism department raided his home last night. Furthermore, PTI general secretary Asad Umar was arrested from the Islamabad High Court premises on Wednesday.
7. Army deployed: After a request from the chief commissioner, the Ministry of Interior requisitioned army troops in Islamabad to "maintain the law and order situation." Following this, the capital police in Islamabad reported that Pakistan Army troops were promptly being dispatched to various locations within the capital city. In an unusual move, the Pakistan Army expressed that a "dark chapter" had unfolded, highlighting a well-planned scheme that targeted the military.
8. Internet restrictions continue: Broadband, mobile internet, and major special media platforms are inaccessible across Pakistan, as authorities continue to restrict access. Citizens reported being unable to access Facebook and Twitter on Wednesday morning while mobile data was also down.
9. PM's video address: Addressing the nation late on Wednesday night, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said, "terrorists and elements who are enemies of the state” should immediately desist from their “anti-state activities," Dawn reported. He further said that "protection of the state and ideology of Pakistan is more precious to us than our lives and we will not allow anyone to conspire against it."
10. UK monitoring situation: The United Kingdom is keeping an eye on the situation in Pakistan, according to UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. "The arrest of the former prime minister [Imran Khan] is an internal matter for Pakistan. We support peaceful democratic processes and adherence to the rule of law and we are monitoring the situation carefully," Sunak was quoted as saying by Reuters.
(With inputs from Dawn, AFP, and Reuters.)
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