Is Pakistan set for new Khan vs government showdown after PTI arrests?
Al JazeeraSep 18
Pakistan Charges Several Lawmakers from Imran Khan's Party
Image copyright: Samir Hussein/Contributor/WireImage via Getty Images News
The Facts
Several leaders and lawmakers from former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party were charged with terrorism offenses on Wednesday after being arrested in raids across the Pakistani capital of Islamabad late on Monday.
On Tuesday, a police spokesperson stated that four people were arrested. However, Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party claimed the number was actually as high as 13. They mentioned that officials were taken into custody from different locations across the capital, including some who were arrested outside parliament.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
While it was right that the leaders of Khan's PTI party were taken into custody for inciting violence, they should not have been arrested on the parliament's grounds. Two wrongs don't make a right. Therefore, an investigation is ongoing to prevent this situation from happening again.
Establishment-critical narrative
This is a dark turn for Pakistan's already repressive government. Yes, PTI leaders may have gone overboard in their statements. But none of these tensions would have flared up if the government hadn't persecuted Khan on spurious charges before seeking to criminalize his party.