Pakistani police have filed terrorism charges against former Prime Minister Imran Khan who is accused of making threats against the inspector-general of Pakistan’s police force and a judge during a speech he gave in Islamabad on Saturday.
Khan, who was ousted as PM in April after a no-confidence vote, accused the two state officials of unlawfully detaining and mistreating Shahbaz Gill, a party colleague of Khan’s. Gill was arrested earlier this month on treason charges after he urged soldiers to refuse to obey “illegal orders” from military leadership during an appearance on ARY TV.
According to Associated Press, the report against Khan includes testimony from Magistrate Judge Ali Javed, who attended Saturday’s rally where Khan is alleged to have said the following, directed at the police chief and judge: “You also get ready for it. We will also take action against you.”
Khan is yet to make a public statement regarding the charges, which could see him face several years in prison under the country’s sedition act.
Following news of the charges facing Khan, hundreds of his supporters gathered outside his home, promising to “take over” the capital in the event he is detained.
The BBC reports that some of Khan’s political allies warned that arresting him would be “crossing a red line”.
A further warning to current Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who is expected to discuss the charges at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, came from former minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who tweeted: “If Imran Khan is arrested … we will take over Islamabad.”
Khan, who has been touring the country calling for fresh elections and criticising the government and the military in a series of public speeches, has been granted so-called “protective bail”, meaning he cannot be arrested until Thursday.