Imran Khan to be put on trial in military court: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah

Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan will be tried in military courtfor planning and executing attacks on military installations after he was arrested on May 9 in an alleged corruption case by military-affiliated Punjab Rangers, said Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Tuesday.

Sanaullah made the comments on a news show with Dawn News.

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The interior minister accused Imran of personally carrying out the "planning of the attacks" before his arrest on May 9. "There is evidence to prove [this claim]," Sanaullah was quoted as saying by Dawn.

Imran Khan calls for 'true freedom'

In an address to his party supporters, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman said that sacrifices will have to be "rendered for freedom."

"This is the time for us to struggle for our Haqeeqi Azadi (true freedom)," Khan said.

"A strong government is not the one that has the establishment’s support, but the one that has the people’s support," he added while referring to the civilian-military nexus of mutual dependence dubbed as an establishment in Pakistan.

"Only a government that comes with the public mandate can make big decisions, bring reforms and reinstate the rule of law," Khan said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Imran Khan appeared at an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore city in connection with cases related to the violent demonstrations that erupted across the South Asian country following his arrest by military-affiliated Punjab Rangers on May 9.

ALSO WATCH |Pakistan: Imran Khan and his wife put on no-fly list

The powerful visuals of Imran Khan's supporters carrying out violent demonstrations inside the premises that hosted the country's military installations continue to haunt the cricket star-turned-ousted prime minister.

The fallout within Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) political party has seen top leaders abandoning the PTI ship while citing the May 9 attacks on military installations.

Imran Khan should be held responsible for his ‘militant acts’: PM Shehbaz Sharif

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that dialogue [between the PTI and government] is "deeply embedded in the political process", adding that it helped democracy to "mature and evolve".

"Many political and constitutional breakthroughs occurred when political leaders sat across the table to craft a consensus," he said.

"However, there is a major difference here, the anarchists and arsonists who wear the garb of politicians and attack the symbols of the state do not qualify for a dialogue. They should rather be held to account for their militant actions. This is the prevalent practice even in developed democracies," he said.

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