The federal cabinet committee on Friday Suggested to impose emergency in the country following the political unrest after the arrest of former premier and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, sources.
The federal cabinet session held under the chair of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Sources inside Premier house said that cabinet members mulled over using the option of imposing emergency.
Also Read: Supreme Court declares Imran Khan’s Arrest “illegal”
During the session, coalition parties of pdm suggested to impose emergency. The cabinet members also held consultations over necessary steps to cope with the political and economic challenges.
The article 232 of the country’s constitution allows the President/Prime Minister to declare a state of emergency in case the country is threatened by war or external aggression, or by internal disturbance beyond the power of a provincial government to control.
The federal cabinet also held discussions over the Supreme Court verdicts, as well as reviewed the recommendations of extending the tenure of the assemblies, sources added.
The cabinet also reviewed the Supreme Court’s verdict in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan’s arrest case.
Remember that Cabinet meeting came after the Supreme Court calls Imran Khan’s arrest ‘illegal’ and orders to release him immediately.
The SC verdict comes a day after a strongly worded statement by the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), which said that May 9 would go down in history as a “dark chapter”.
Earlier, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khwaja Asif has said that if the current situation in the country persists, then there is a possibility of an emergency being declared.
Imran Khan’s Arrest
Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan arrested by NAB and taken into custody by Rangers from the premises of Islamabad High Court (IHC) in the Al-Qadir Trust Case.
Social Media and Internet Ban
Internet Services and Social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube and Twitter have been blocked across Pakistan.
Social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube and Twitter were blocked in Pakistan. The development came after the arrest of PTI chief Imran Khan on Tuesday by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Sources within the government confirmed that social media services were temporarily blocked to avoid the propaganda.
Earlier, Internet service was also suspended in different cities of Pakistan including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore and others.
Protests erupted across the country after Imran Khan’s arrest in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case. PTI workers held protests in cities across the country, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Peshawar, and Mardan.
PTI Workers threw stones at and set fire to police vehicles, tore down street lights and damaged a bus. There were reports that police fired teargas shells at the protesters. Police also fired teargas shells at protesters on Rawalpindi’s Murree Road.
According to reports, the PTI chairman was going for biometric at the IHC when he was taken into custody. The NAB officials had arrest warrants.
Al-Qadir Trust case
The Ex-Premier, along with his wife Bushra Bibi and other PTI leaders, are facing a NAB inquiry related to a settlement between the PTI government and a property tycoon, which reportedly caused a loss of 190 million pounds to the national exchequer.
As per the charges, the Imran Khan and others accused allegedly adjusted Rs50 billion — 190 million pounds at the time — sent by Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to the government.
They are also accused of getting undue benefit in the form of over 458 kanals of land at Mouza Bakrala, Sohawa, to establish Al Qadir University.
