Is Pakistan set for new Khan vs government showdown after PTI arrests?
Al JazeeraSEP 2024
Pakistan Charges Several Lawmakers from Imran Khan's Party
Image copyright: Samir Hussein/Contributor/WireImage via Getty Images News
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.