Islamabad: Imran Khan, a former prime minister of Pakistan, is wanted on a contempt charge after allegedly using "intemperate language" towards public servants. Pakistan's Election Commission has issued an arrest warrant for him.
According to several local media outlets, the electoral authority issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Khan on Monday, ordering the Islamabad Inspector General to take him into custody for allegedly making "contemptuous remarks" about the commission. On Tuesday, the former prime minister is anticipated to address the authorities.
Later, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Khan's political party, posted a picture of the warrant on social media, only displaying the first page of the document.
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The former prime minister and other PTI officials were charged with contempt last year after the commission had previously requested that they appear in person to defend their actions. Khan and other party members contested the order in court, claiming the election body had abused its authority.
Khan skipped a second hearing that was scheduled earlier this month, but the government was still able to pursue legal action against him after the Pakistani Supreme Court ruled in its favour in January.
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According to the newspaper Dawn, a senior Election Commission official stated that the warrant was "meant only for ensuring the suspect's presence before the bench," adding that Khan would be a "free man" afterward.
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Khan, who is currently one of Pakistan's most prominent opposition figures, declared to his supporters that he is "ready for jail" in a statement that was circulated online after the warrant's discovery.
Since he was removed from office in a no-confidence vote last year, Khan has been accused of many things, including "terrorism." The 70-year-old politician and former cricket star was detained in connection with a corruption case one year after his removal, which led to a wave of violent protests across Pakistan. He was soon granted bail and later detained in connection with a different offence.
Khan initially asserted that the US had orchestrated his overthrow in a coup, but later told the Financial Times that he no longer holds the United States responsible, adding that Pakistan "must have good relationships with everyone, especially the United States." However, he continues to blame Pakistan's army, claiming that military leaders were heavily involved in both his ouster from power and the subsequent legal proceedings.
Khan has claimed that Pakistan's military leadership is attempting to keep him from running in the country's upcoming election, which is scheduled for November 10 at the latest. Khan told Bloomberg last month that "it all depends on the establishment feeling that PTI will no longer be able to win the elections." "They will announce elections once they are certain of that."