The article provided by ABC news details an arrest warrant that was administered by a Pakistani court today directed at Imran Khan, the former Pakistani Prime Minister who was removed from office last year. The judge responsible for the warrant presented it on the grounds that Khan was responsible for selling ‘state gifts’ and hiding ‘personal’ assets. Lately, Imran Khan has repeatedly drawn attention to himself and his party as he has led demonstrations around the country against the current administration. The Pakistani government has consistently attempted to reduce the footprint/impact Khan has had on Pakistanis through media censorship and information campaigns. Khan’s actions in Pakistan have not only resulted in this warrant but have as well resulted in his disbarment from becoming an eligible candidate for office.
Khan’s arrest warrant is not the only one to be served in the past few days. Just the day before, a former army general and ally of Imran Khan was arrested for “inciting the public and government employees against national institutions” (ABC News). What sticks out from this situation is the fact that this general had appeared on television just a few days before his arrest, calling out the current administration. He argued government officials were censoring and jailing pro-Khan supporters. Thus, this brings us back to the Freedom House reports we’ve read regarding Pakistan. It’s certainly quite the coincidence that a Khan-backed general who called out the government on news platforms was arrested.
Lastly, something that stands out within the report is this: Imran Khan had three separate courts rule he was immune to being arrested TODAY for different charges including terrorism, attempted murder, and graft. This makes me curious as to how the government/judiciary system generated the charges that Khan is currently being arrested for. The article ends on a note discussing the Pakistani economic crisis, describing the growing warning signs the country faces: downgrading economic assessments and potentially renewing an IMF bailout. The information above demonstrates the current state of Pakistan. In a region that has suffered from political and economic turmoil for decades, it seems there may be no end in sight (at least for Imran Khan).
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/pakistani-court-orders-arrest-former-premier-imran-khan-97516630
HR: the associated ABC news link discussing the Imran Khan arrest warrant – Wesley Barbara