Islamabad: Police in the Pakistani capital have filed charges against former prime minister Imran Khan, 17 of his aides and scores of supporters, accusing them of terrorism and several other offences after his followers clashed with security forces.

For hours on Saturday, Khan’s followers clashed with police outside a court in Islamabad where the ousted leader was to appear in a corruption case. Riot police wielded batons and fired tear gas while Khan’s supporters threw firebombs and hurled rocks at the officers.

A police vehicle burns following the clashes between police and the supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan, at outside the court, in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Saturday.Credit:AP

More than 50 officers were injured and a police checkpoint, several cars and motorcycles were torched. Police said 59 of Khan’s supporters were arrested during the violence.

Khan never actually appeared inside the court to face charges that he concealed assets and sold state gifts received while in office.

Besides Khan, the filing also accuses former and current MPs, former ministers, a former National Assembly speaker and scores of Khan’s supporters. The charges include terrorism, obstructing police officers in carrying out their tasks, attacks on police, wounding officers and threatening their lives.

The developments are the latest involving increasing violence surrounding the 70-year-old Khan, who was ousted in a no-confidence vote in parliament in April. Since then, the former cricket star turned Islamist politician has claimed – without offering evidence – that his ouster was illegal and a conspiracy by the government of his successor, Shahbaz Sharif, and Washington. Both Sharif and the United States have denied the allegations.

Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan, centre, at a rally in Lahore last year. He’s wanted on corruption charges and has now had charges of terrorism filed against him.Credit:AP

On Saturday, amid tear gas and clashes, police stormed Khan’s residence, and arrested 61 suspects and seized weapons and ammunition. It followed two days of clashes set off by Khan supporters trying to prevent his arrest.

In a recorded video message broadcast on Sunday, Khan blamed police for his failure to appear in court on Saturday, saying he never left his vehicle as the police were lobbing tear gas at his convoy and supporters.

Without offering anything to back his claim, Khan said his opponents were bent on either putting him in jail or killing him, and denounced the raid on his home in Lahore as “shameful tactics, conspiracies and plans”.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah accused Khan of “creating all the drama just to avoid” the courts.

AP

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