Pakistan’s former premier, Imran Khan, was arrested on Tuesday as he appeared for hearings at the Islamabad High Court.
He was charged in a number of cases that his party says are politically motivated, ranging from corruption, terrorism and rioting, since being ousted from power in a no-confidence vote last April.
From blaming the US to topple his government to getting shot in the leg at a rally to force snap polls, here is a timeline of events that led to Khan’s arrest:
8 March, 2022: 13-party opposition alliance moves no-confidence motion in Parliament against then-Prime Minister, Imran Khan
27 March, 2022: Khan claims the no-trust move is part of an alleged “foreign-funded conspiracy” to topple his government, shows letter as evidence
3 April, 2022: National Assembly Deputy Speaker, Qasim Suri, dismisses the no-trust motion without a vote, terms it a foreign conspiracy
READ: Will Khan’s ousting be Pakistan’s Mosaddegh moment?
3 April, 2022: President Arif Alvi dissolves the National Assembly on Khan’s advice
7 April, 2022: Supreme Court overturns the Deputy Speaker’s ruling on no-trust motion and subsequent dissolution of the lower house, orders vote on 9 April.
9 April, 2022: Khan is removed from the Prime Minister’s office as the no-confidence motion against him succeeds.
11 April, 2022: All lawmakers of his Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI) party in the National Assembly resign en masse; Khan announces nationwide protests demanding immediate elections.
25 May, 2022: Khan-led “long march” protest enters Islamabad after Supreme Court’s permission,
26 May, 2022: He calls off protest to avoid confrontation; gives the government six days to announce date for snap election.
20 August, 2022: Khan is booked for threatening a female judge during protest rally in Islamabad.
2 October, 2022: Pakistan’s election commission disqualifies him in a case related to gifts he received from foreign dignitaries (Toshakhana).
28 October, 2022: He launches a second “long march” from Lahore to Islamabad to force early elections.
3 November, 2022: Khan escapes assassination attempt in Wazirabad district of north-eastern Punjab province during protest march.
4 November, 2022: He accuses successor, Shahbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and a senior army commander of being involved in the assassination attempt.
14 January and 18 January, 2023: PTI dissolves provincial assemblies in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where it held majority, in another attempt to compel the government for early vote.
28 February, 2023: A district court in Islamabad issues a non-bailable arrest warrant for Khan for skipping hearings in Toshakhana case.
5 March, 2023: Police raid his Lahore residence, but fail to arrest him.
3 May, 2023: Khan reiterates allegations that a senior military officer planned to assassinate him twice.
8 May, 2023: Pakistan’s military rejects Khan’s “malicious and fabricated” allegations, asks him to take legal course of action.
9 May, 2023: Khan doubles down on his allegations against senior military officer as he appears before the Islamabad High Court; paramilitary Rangers arrest him in a case filed by the anti-corruption body; Party calls arrest an abduction.
READ: Pakistan’s Imran Khan should have learnt from Erdogan’s dealing with the army
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