() — Pakistan’s Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan was unlawful, overturning a lower court’s ruling on Tuesday that it was legal.
The court ordered Khan’s release, according to officials from Khan’s political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Khan was dramatically arrested on Tuesday by paramilitary troops under vague accusations of corruption.
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan speaks in an interview with the media.
He was then detained at a guest house inside the police headquarters where he appeared for a special hearing before a judge behind closed doors on Wednesday before being held in custody for eight days on a charge brought by Pakistan’s anti-corruption agency.
Khan’s lawyers had requested that legal proceedings against their client not be held at police headquarters rather than in court.
Police had justified the move, saying it was to keep Khan away from the public in order to maintain law and order.
Since his arrest, 8 people have been killed and hundreds arrested as protests pitting his supporters against army supporters turned violent.
