Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan can be held in custody for eight days, a judge has ruled.
The decision on Wednesday came a day after Khan was dramatically arrested at a court in the country’s capital Islamabad - setting off clashes between his supporters and police that have left four people dead.
Angry protesters stormed and set fire to a building housing Radio Pakistan in the northwest, as the violence continued on Wednesday.
In eastern Punjab province, where authorities said 157 police officers were injured in clashes with Khan supporters, the local government asked the army to step in and restore order.
Khan - who lost power last year but remains the country’s most popular opposition figure - is the seventh former prime minister to be arrested in Pakistan.
As Kahn appeared in court in Islamabad on Wednesday, a judge was asked to approve keeping the 70-year-old opposition leader in custody for up to 14 days.
Pakistan’s GEO television broadcast footage showing Khan appearing before a judge at a temporary court inside a police compound Wednesday. The former premier was seen seated in a chair, holding documents. He appeared calm but tired.
The judge reportedly rejected the request for a 14-day detention, instead granting permission for him to be detained for eight days.
Meanwhile, Khan‘s legal team challenged his arrest before the Islamabad High Court, seeking his release.
Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party had called for demonstrators to remain peaceful, hours after mobs angered over the dramatic arrest set fire to the residence of a top army general in the eastern city of Lahore.
When he was arrested on Tuesday, Khan has been appearing in court on multiple graft charges brought by Islamabad police. As he showed up in court, dozens of agents from the National Accountability Bureau backed by paramilitary troops stormed the courtroom, breaking windows after Khan‘s guards refused to open the door.
Khan’s supporters attacked the military’s headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi near the capital, Islamabad, but did not reach the main building housing the offices of army chief General Asim Munir.
Other demonstrators tried to reach the prime minister’s residence in Lahore, but were driven off by baton-wielding in police. Others attacked vehicles carrying troops and hit armed soldiers with sticks. So far, police and soldiers have not fired at protesters.
The military has not commented on the attacks on its facilities. None of the leaders from Khan‘s party denounced the attacks on the military.
A police statement on Wednesday said officers in eastern Punjab province arrested 945 Khan supporters since Tuesday — including Asad Umar, a senior leader from Khan‘s party.
Dozens of Khan supporters were also detained in Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar and elsewhere.
As violence spread, diplomats from various countries and common people in Pakistan stayed home.
The US Embassy in Islamabad canceled all its Wednesday consular appointments following Khan‘s arrest and issued a nationwide alert, telling Americans to review their personal security plans and avoid large crowds.
