Skip to content
Search
Please enter at least 3 characters.

Latest Stories

Imran Khan defies arrest under Pakistan's 'jungle law'

Imran Khan defies arrest under Pakistan's 'jungle law'

Former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan's supporters vigorously defended him against the police's attempts to arrest him. Despite the chaotic scene, the 70-year-old opposition leader maintained that he is a staunch believer in law and order.

"I believe in rule of law," he told AFP inside his Lahore compound on Wednesday (15). After a nearly 24-hour standoff, the police finally ceased their siege on his residence, prompting jubilant celebrations from Khan's followers, who showered pink petals on the cheering crowds outside.


The authorities sought to apprehend Khan for failing to appear in court regarding allegations that he neglected to disclose gifts he received during his 3.5-year tenure in office, as well as the earnings he generated from selling them.

Khan's fervent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party followers, brandishing sticks and throwing stones, clashed with police while displaying green and crimson flags.

GettyImages 1248318764

Supporters of former Pakistan's prime minister Imran Khan block a road near Khan's residence to prevent officers from arresting him, in Lahore on March 15, 2023.  (Photo: AFP)

Khan was removed from his post as prime minister through a no-confidence vote in April of last year, resulting in political drama that coincided with natural disasters and economic troubles.

Subsequently, numerous charges were filed against him, which he believes were designed to prevent him from participating in the upcoming election.

While National Assembly elections are slated for no later than October, Khan insists that they should occur sooner.

"They want me in jail so that I cannot contest elections," he told AFP.

"There were so many cases, they would have just kept me in jail. And the whole idea was to miss the elections.

"This abduction had nothing to do with rule of law," he added.

"It's the law of the jungle."

Khan cites his personal safety as one of the reasons for his refusal to attend court, though the rationale seems to change with each telling.

"I don't have an issue of going to court because none of the cases on me will stand," he said.

He claims that no charges against him are legitimate under the current administration.

(With inputs from AFP)

More For You

JLR-Tata-Getty

JLR had initially planned to manufacture more than 70,000 electric vehicles at the facility. (Photo: Getty Images)

JLR halts plan to build EVs at Tata’s India plant: Report

JAGUAR LAND ROVER (JLR) has put on hold plans to manufacture electric vehicles at Tata Motors’ upcoming £775 million factory in southern India, according to a news report.

The decision was influenced by challenges in balancing price and quality for locally sourced EV components, three of the sources said. They added that slowing demand for electric vehicles was also a factor.

Keep ReadingShow less
Leicester drug supplier Sarju Khushal jailed for 11 years over £2m operation

Sarju Khushal

Leicester drug supplier Sarju Khushal jailed for 11 years over £2m operation

A MAN who supplied controlled drugs on a ‘wholesale’ scale across Leicestershire has been sentenced to 11 years in prison. Sarju Khushal, 30, was arrested in 2022 after investigations revealed he had been transporting drugs from Lancashire into the area.

Khushal, formerly of Hazeldene Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to several charges, including the supply and conspiracy to supply class A drugs. He was sentenced at Leicester crown court last Thursday (6).

Keep ReadingShow less
Tamil Nadu Education

Tamil, one of the oldest living languages in the world, is a source of pride for the state’s people

Getty images

Education or imposition? Tamil Nadu battles India government over Hindi in schools

A war of words has erupted between Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister MK Stalin and the federal government over the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which recommends a three-language formula in schools, with two of the three being native to India. Stalin has voiced strong objections, claiming that the policy could lead to the imposition of Hindi, a northern Indian language, in non-Hindi-speaking states like Tamil Nadu. The issue has reignited old tensions between southern states and the central government over the privileging of Hindi.

Historical resistance to Hindi

Tamil Nadu has a deep-rooted history of opposing the promotion of Hindi, dating back to the 1960s. Protests broke out in the state when the federal government attempted to make Hindi the sole official language, leading to a compromise that allowed the continued use of English. Language in Tamil Nadu is not merely a means of communication but a powerful symbol of cultural identity. Tamil, one of the oldest living languages in the world, is a source of pride for the state’s people. As a result, any perceived threat to its prominence is met with strong resistance.

Keep ReadingShow less
Former Bristol MP Thangam Debbonaire enters House of Lords as Baroness

Thangam Debbonaire

Former Bristol MP Thangam Debbonaire enters House of Lords as Baroness

FORMER Bristol MP Thangam Debbonaire has taken her seat in the House of Lords after being awarded a life peerage last month.

The 58-year-old, who represented Bristol West for Labour from 2015 until July’s general election, wore the traditional scarlet robes during her introductory ceremony. She will now be known as Baroness Debbonaire of De Beauvoir Town in the London Borough of Hackney.

Keep ReadingShow less