Pro-gov supporters stage sit in in front Supreme Court in Pakistan
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Supporters of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) party protested in front of the Supreme Court in Islamband's Red Zone against the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on bail last Friday.
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Supporters of Pakistan Democratic Movement, an alliance of the ruling political parties, take part in a rally outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad, Pakistan, Monday, May 15, 2023 (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Supporters of the ruling government in Pakistan planned a sit-in in front of the Supreme Court in the capital Islamabad on Monday, in protest of the release of former Prime Minister and opposition leader Imran Khan, broadcaster Geo TV reported.
The protesters, mainly consisting of workers and supporters of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) party, marched towards Islamabad's Red Zone which houses government buildings where they intended to demonstrate against the Supreme Court's decision.
Police only arrested 1 person who allegedly stole a total of 8 cell phones from demonstrators.
The Islamabad High Court freed on bail Khan on May 12, after his "unlawful" arrest on corruption accusations this week provoked massive protests.
Khan was also granted bail in other ongoing matters. He was due to appear in court today shortly after the Supreme Court nullified the arrest and ordered his immediate release.
Former #Pakistani PM #ImranKhan urged his supporters to keep protesting across the country just days after they clashed with security forces, triggered by his arrest.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 14, 2023
He was freed on bail on Friday after the Supreme Court declared his arrest unlawful, which caused supporters to… pic.twitter.com/mSUqJLx0wv
The former Premier's arrest followed months of political crisis and came hours after the powerful military criticized the former PM for accusing a senior officer of being involved in a plot to assassinate him.
Thousands of his supporters took to the streets in protest of his arrest and were met with a brutal police crackdown, resulting in the death of a few of them.
Khan told AFP from the court building that the "head of the country's largest party was abducted, kidnapped from the high court, and in front of the entire nation."
Footage shows the former #Pakistani prime minister #ImranKhan being arrested from outside the #Islamabad High Court over corruption allegations.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 9, 2023
The Rangers had broken windows at the court to reach Khan in order to arrest him.
"There is no case on me. They want to put me in… pic.twitter.com/KZZ6zepvuI
"They treated me like a terrorist, this had to have a reaction."
Nearly 1,000 people have been detained in Punjab since protests broke out following the arrest of Khan.
