Upping The Ante
Listen to Today's Edition:
Pakistani police filed terrorism charges against former Prime Minister Imran Khan this week, a move that could further inflame political tensions in the country as the ousted leader seeks to return to power, NBC News reported Monday.
The charges come a few days after Khan held a speech in the capital where he vowed to sue the police and a judge. The former leader is accused of threatening the officials and could face years in prison if found guilty.
Even so, security forces have not detained Khan and online videos have shown thousands of his supporters have been surrounding his home to prevent police from arresting him. His party, Tehreek-e-Insaf, warned that it will hold nationwide rallies if Khan is arrested.
Khan has been holding rallies against the new government of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif since he was voted out of office in April.
At the time, lawmakers approved a no-confidence vote against the embattled leader, with the opposition accusing him of economic mismanagement as Pakistan’s currency plummeted and inflation soared.
The former prime minister alleged – without providing evidence – that the Pakistani military participated in a US-led plot to oust him from power. He said that his removal came after he denied the US from having military bases in Pakistan.
Sharif’s government and military officials have denied the allegations.
Subscribe today and GlobalPost will be in your inbox the next weekday morning
Join us today and pay only $32.95 for an annual subscription, or less than $3 a month for our unique insights into crucial developments on the world stage. It’s by far the best investment you can make to expand your knowledge of the world.
And you get a free two-week trial with no obligation to continue.
