Pakistan's Supreme Court Orders Imran Khan to Appear in Court

Amid widespread and violent protests against the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and the objections of his legal team to this arrest, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered him to appear in court on Thursday. Meanwhile, tensions continue in major cities of Pakistan, including Islamabad, the capital, and Lahore, with mobile services suspended and schools and offices closed in two of the country's four provinces. So far, two thousand people have been arrested during the protests against Imran Khan's arrest, and five have been killed. The attack by supporters of the former Prime Minister on military institutions and the burning of government buildings and assets has prompted the Pakistani government to call in the army to restore order. The Pakistan Army issued a statement on Wednesday, emphasizing the need for 'restraint, patience, and tolerance' towards the protesters while warning of a decisive response to future attacks. Shehbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, described the ongoing violence as unprecedented in Pakistan's 75-year history. According to some polls, the 70-year-old former cricket star, who was ousted from the premiership by a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022, remains Pakistan's most popular political figure. He was arrested on Tuesday by the anti-corruption agency in a case related to land fraud. A Pakistani court also charged him on Wednesday with the illegal sale of state gifts during his premiership. Over 100 separate cases are ongoing against Imran Khan, but he has denied any wrongdoing. The violence following Imran Khan's arrest has exacerbated instability in this country of 220 million people, which is grappling with a severe economic crisis.