- Title: Pakistan opposition leader Khan says under virtual house arrest
- Date: 28th October 2016
- Summary: ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (OCTOBER 28, 2016) (REUTERS) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** VARIOUS OF IMRAN KHAN SUPPORTERS ARRIVING AT POLICE BARRIER SET UP OUTSIDE HIS HOUSE VARIOUS OF SUPPORTERS CHANTING (English): "GO NAWAZ (SHARIF) GO!" SUPPORTERS STANDING NEXT TO BARRIER CHANTING IMRAN KHAN COMING OUT TO ADDRESS SUPPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) CRICKETER-TURNED-POLITICIAN, IMRAN KHAN, SAYING: "I want to ask why all this area has been blocked. Why have I been placed under almost house arrest? Why? Under what law? What law have I broken?" KHAN SURROUNDED BY MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) CRICKETER-TURNED-POLITICIAN, IMRAN KHAN, SAYING: "I am telling all my activists to start preparing for November 2 from now. You have to be ready on November 2. Till then you have to protect yourselves from being arrested. Your concentration should be on the 2nd, on which date, God willing, we will demonstrate in Islamabad what peoples' power really is." VARIOUS OF SUPPORTERS MARCHING TOWARDS POLICE BUSES AS THEY LEAVE POLICE BUSES LEAVING KHAN SUPPORTER KICKING PARKING BLOCK VARIOUS OF KHAN SUPPORTERS THROWING STONES AT POLICE BUSES VARIOUS OF SMOKE FROM TEAR GAS SHELLS POLICEMEN CHASING PROTESTERS POLICE HELICOPTER HOVERING OVERHEAD TWO POLICEMEN INSIDE VAN
- Embargoed: 12th November 2016 16:11
- Keywords: Pakistan Imran Khan opposition house arrest
- Location: ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN
- City: ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN
- Country: Pakistan
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00155X7KG7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Pakistani opposition leader Imran Khan accused the government of placing him under virtual house arrest in Islamabad on Friday (October 28) as his supporters in nearby Rawalpindi fought running battles with the police.
Police fired tear gas and charged with batons the rock-throwing protesters in Rawalpindi, 20 km (12 miles) from Islamabad, as both sides prepared for his plan to shut down the capital next week to try to force Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to resign.
There was no immediate report of injuries and the violence eased as darkness fell.
Police also fired tear gas and briefly clashed with protesters near Khan's house in Islamabad.
Khan, a former cricket hero, told reporters outside his home that he had been placed "under almost house arrest" by scores of police officers stationed around his home in Islamabad.
He said he had cancelled plans to attend a rally by a political ally in Rawalpindi and urged supporters to instead focus on the mass protests on Wednesday (November 2).
The protests added to rising political tension ahead of Khan's vow to lock down the capital on Wednesday to try to force Sharif to quit because of corruption allegations.
The political strife has come at an awkward time for Sharif, as relations between his ruling PML-N party and the powerful military have been strained by a newspaper leak about a security meeting that angered army officials.
Khan called for nationwide protests on Friday after 38 activists from his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party were arrested a day earlier during a police raid on a youth rally in Islamabad.
Police said the rally contravened a city order issued hours earlier that banned all public gatherings in Islamabad and Rawalpindi ahead of next week's protests. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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