Imran Khan's Arrest: Army Deployed In Pakistan's Punjab, KP Amid Law And Order Crisis

Imran Khan was undergoing a biometric process at the court when the paramilitary Rangers broke open the glass window and arrested him after beating lawyers and Khan's security staff.

Violent protests erupted across several cities following the dramatic arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan

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New Delhi: Army has been deployed in Pakistan's Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to maintain the law and order situation as violent protests erupted across several cities following the dramatic arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan outside the Islamabad High Court on Tuesday.

The Ministry of Interior has approved the Punjab government's request for assistance by sanctioning ten companies of troops, saying: "The army would be working alongside district administration to restore law, order and peace", according to Geo News.

The order issued by the Federal Ministry of Interior stated, "Pursuant to the request made by the Home Department Government of Punjab, vide their letter No.SO(IS-II)3-15/2023 (Security) (1) Dated 9 May 2023, the federal government in excise of powers conferred under article 245 of the constitution and Section 4 (3) (ii) of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997, (to discharge such functions as specified in the said act), is pleased to authorise the deployment of Pakistan Army troops/assets for maintaining law and order situations across the Punjab province in aid of civil power."

On Tuesday, Imran Khan had gone to the court to attend the hearing in the Al-Qadir Trust case in which it has been alleged that the PTI chief and his wife obtained billions of rupees from a real estate firm for legalising Rs 50 billion.

While he was undergoing a biometric process at the court, the paramilitary Rangers broke open the glass window and arrested him after beating lawyers and Khan's security staff.

As the news of Imran Khan's arrest spread, protests broke out in various places in Pakistan. Absolute mayhem prevailed on the streets of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Peshawar, and Mardan as protesters resorted to stone pelting on houses, offices and vehicles, burning banners and tyres and blocking roads.

A section of protesters also stormed the Pakistan Army headquarters in Rawalpindi and set on fire the Corps Commander's residence in Lahore.

The agitators smashed the main gate of the army's headquarters in Rawalpindi even as troops exercised restraint and used tear gas to disperse the mob. The protesters also chanted slogans against the establishment.

The government also suspended mobile internet across the country. Moreover, Netblocks, an organisation that tracks internet outages, said access to Twitter, Facebook and Youtube was restricted across Pakistan, a report in Dawn said.

A Red alert has also been sounded in the capital after the implementation of Section 144, Rangers and armed forces will be deployed at important buildings and areas.