Imran Khan arrested from outside Islamabad High Court, says his party
Islamabad (PTI): Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan was on Tuesday arrested by paramilitary Rangers while he was present at the Islamabad High Court for the hearing of a corruption case, his party said.
The chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who travelled from Lahore to the federal capital Islamabad, was taken into custody by the Rangers when he appeared in court on anti-graft charges, his PTI lawyer Faisal Chaudhry said.
His party confirmed the arrest of the 70-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician.
"Khan has been arrested in the Al-Qadeer trust case when he was present in the Islamabad High Court," his party said in a brief statement.
The arrest comes a day after the powerful army had accused Khan of levelling baseless allegations against a senior army officer.
The PTI alleged that Khan was being tortured but it was not confirmed independently.
"State terrorism - breaking into IHC premises to abduct Imran Khan from court premises. Law of the jungle in operation. Rangers beat the lawyers, used violence on Imran Khan and abducted him," tweeted former minister Shireen Mazari, a PTI spokeswoman.
Another PTI leader Azhar Mashwani alleged that Khan had been "abducted" from inside the court by the Rangers. He said that the party had given an immediate call for staging protests in the country.
"They are torturing Imran Khan right now [ ] they are beating Khan sahib. They have done something with Khan sahib," Cheema said in a video message posted on the party's Twitter handle.
Former information minister and PTI Vice President Fawad Chaudhry earlier said the court has been "occupied by the Rangers" and lawyers "are being subjected to torture".
"Imran Khan's car has been surrounded," he added.
Khan has been facing a slew of cases since his ouster through a no trust vote in April last year. He has rejected all these cases as political victimisation by the ruling alliance.
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PM Modi speaks to Iranian president, discusses 'serious' situation in West Asia
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday night spoke to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian over the phone and discussed the "serious situation" in West Asia.
Modi expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions in the region and the loss of civilian lives as well as damage to civilian infrastructure.
The prime minister told the Iranian President that the safety and security of Indian nationals, along with the need for unhindered transit of goods and energy, remain India's top priorities.
“Had a conversation with Iranian President, Dr Masoud Pezeshkian, to discuss the serious situation in the region. Expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions and the loss of civilian lives as well as damage to civilian infrastructure,” Modi said in a post on X.
The prime minister also reiterated India's commitment to peace and stability and urged dialogue and diplomacy to end the crisis.
The prime minister had spoken to leaders of several West Asian countries in the last 10 days in the wake of the coordinated offensive launched against Iran by the United States and Israel, in which the Islamic country's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed last month.
In retaliation, Iran has fired drones and missiles at Israel and US military installations around the Gulf region, including the global business and aviation hubs of Dubai and Doha.
Modi earlier spoke to the leaders of Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Israel and Qatar, and expressed concern over the attacks on their countries, and condemned the violation of some nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He also discussed the welfare and security of the Indian community residing in those countries.
Around 1 crore Indians live in the Gulf and West Asia. While about 10,000 Indian citizens live, study and work in Iran, more than 40,000 live in Israel.
