Imran Khan: Pakistan arrests hundreds as former PM charged with corruption

Imran Khan, Pakistan's former prime minister, has pleaded not guilty to corruption charges a day after his arrest sparked nationwide protests. His arrest was based on a new warrant for a separate corruption case, connected to the alleged transfer of land for Al-Qadir University, near Islamabad. Protesters ransack the corps commander's residence in Lahore, smashing chandeliers and making away with peacocks, and police used shipping containers to block routes through to the compound where he was appearing before a judge. The BBC witnessed clashes between protesters and the police in the middle of one of Islamabad's main motorways. The BBC was present during a peaceful protest against the arrest of Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan.

Protesters attempted to hit metal casings away with sticks, but there were no arrests during the 90 minutes the BBC was present. Khan has accused a senior intelligence official of carrying out an attack, which is denied by the military. His supporters argue that the current government wants to bar him from contesting general elections due in October. Mr Imran Khan will face the law if found guilty of corruption, and police have arrested supporters of his party. Mobile internet services have been restricted, schools closed, highways blocked, and little traffic on roads in major cities.