Protests in Pakistan Result in 9 Deaths
Protests continue across Pakistan following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on corruption charges on May 9. The number of demonstrators who have lost their lives has risen to nine, with more than 290 people injured. Seven people died in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and one person each in Balochistan and Punjab. More than 1,900 supporters of the Pakistani Justice Movement Party, including senior politicians, have been detained. Protesters damaged train tracks in Tarnol, while police properties were damaged in Islamabad and Lahore. A border fort belonging to paramilitary units in Lower Dir was also destroyed. Over 200 police officers were injured, and many police vehicles rendered unusable. The federal government called on the army to provide security in Islamabad, where armed forces personnel are working at various points. Last June, the coalition government claimed that Khan and his wife had bought billions of rupees’ worth of land to build an educational institute. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) alleges that the deal caused losses of over $239 million to the national treasury. In December 2019, Malik Riaz, Pakistan’s major real estate tycoon, agreed to hand over assets, including $239 million in properties, to the UK’s National Crime Agency as part of an investigation into “dirty money.” British authorities reportedly returned the $239 million to Pakistan, but Khan gave it to Riaz instead of keeping it in the national treasury. The NAB issued an arrest warrant for Khan after he accused a senior intelligence official of being behind his assassination. The incident occurred when he was on a march from Lahore to Islamabad on October 28, 2022, as the government had not declared early elections. On April 10, 2022, in Pakistan’s parliamentary vote of no confidence, Khan’s government fell with 174 “no” votes. Shahbaz Sharif was elected prime minister with the support of the absolute majority in the election held on April 11, 2022.
