Politics
Former PM Imran Khan Arrested
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan Arrested in Lahore, Faces Political Ban After Conviction in Asset Concealment Case
In a significant development, the renowned opposition leader and former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, was arrested at his residence in Lahore on Saturday. This marks the second time this year that he has been detained. The arrest came shortly after a court found him guilty in an asset concealment case, leading to a prison sentence that could potentially bar him from participating in politics. The court in Islamabad issued the arrest warrant, prompting swift action by the Lahore police to transfer Imran Khan to the capital city.
The conviction deals a fresh blow to Khan’s ambitions of returning to power, as he has been entangled in a series of over 150 legal cases, including charges of corruption, terrorism, and incitement to violence during the deadly protests in May. These protests saw his followers attacking government and military properties across the nation.
Lawmakers from the Awami League and independent candidates elected in the January 7 polls took their oath as members of the parliament today. The ceremony, administered by the 11th Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, commenced at 10:30 am in the Parliament Complex’s Oath Room.
Speaker Chaudhury, along with independent parliament members, took oath earlier, with Jatiya Party and other faction MPs following suit at 12 pm. The constitution mandates newly elected MPs to take the oath within three days of election results being published in an official gazette, as per Article 148 (2A). A gazette notification on the 12th National Elections’ results, detailing 298 newly elected members, was issued on Tuesday. The new cabinet is scheduled to be sworn in at Bangabhaban at 7 pm on Thursday (January 11).
The Awami League secured 222 out of 298 seats, with independent candidates, mostly aligned with AL, winning 62 seats. Jatiyo Party and single candidates from other parties also claimed victories. After the oath, the AL parliamentary party will elect Sheikh Hasina as their leader, paving the way for her fifth term as prime minister. The president will administer the oath to the new prime minister, who will then form a cabinet with ministers and state ministers chosen by her.
The Awami League (AL) is gearing up to celebrate its victory in the national polls with a rally in Dhaka. Scheduled for January 10 at Suhrawardy Udyan, the event coincides with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Homecoming Day, as announced by Obaidul Quader, the party’s general secretary, during a press conference at the Dhaka District Awami League office in Tejgaon on Monday afternoon.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the leader of the Awami League, is set to lead the rally, commencing at 2:30 pm. The Awami League secured an overwhelming majority in the parliamentary elections, winning 223 out of 299 seats. This decisive victory paves the way for Prime Minister Hasina’s fourth consecutive term and her fifth term in total. The rally at Suhrawardy Udyan serves as a platform for the Awami League to celebrate its triumph and rally support.
On Friday, Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen stated that if the United States’ statements about the visa policy are accurate, then the policy should be applied to BNP leaders as they aim to disrupt the election. The foreign minister made these comments after a meeting with a US observer team at his residence in Sylhet in the evening.
He mentioned that BNP’s current popularity in the country has declined, and they have chosen the path of terrorism. He added that the people of the country are not concerned about Khaleda Zia’s imprisonment, and the party is suffering due to the immaturity of its leadership.
In response to a question, the minister mentioned that 227 observers and journalists from various countries worldwide would come to monitor the upcoming election. He noted that members of the US observer team did not provide comments on the election; instead, they were gathering information. The US team included Geoffrey McDonald, Senior Advisor, Asia Pacific, IRI, Amitab Ghosh, Senior Program Manager, IRI, and David Hogstra, Program Manager, IRI.
