Pakistan’s ex-PM Imran Khan defies deadline to hand over supporters

BLOOMBERG

Pakistan’s former premier Imran Khan has defied a deadline set by local officials to hand over supporters, as the political drama surrounding the opposition leader continues to escalate.
Police remain outside his home in Punjab province, stoking concerns of a repeat of the violent clashes seen between his supporters and security forces.
A provincial government minister claimed Khan was sheltering dozens of people allegedly involved in the unrest, who targeted state and military property. The ex-cricket star, who has denied the allegations, had been given until 2 pm local time on Thursday to hand over the suspects. It’s unclear what will happen next.
The military and the government have said that those involved in the attacks on defense premises could be tried in military courts. This marks a heightening of tensions in the showdown between Khan, 70, and the army, and adds another layer of complexity to the country’s deepening political crisis and economic instability.
Khan’s former climate minister Malik Amin Aslam has quit the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, he said at a press conference, the latest high profile member to leave the party citing the violence that targeted army property.