On Tuesday, Pakistan’s anticorruption agency detained former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad High Court, threatening new turmoil in the nuclear-armed nation as clashes broke out between Khan supporters, and police, killing one protester.

Khan’s arrest came a day after he was rebuked by the powerful military for accusing repeatedly a senior officer of trying his assassination, and the former chief of the armed forces of being behind the removal of his power last year.

Dozens paramilitary soldiers in riot control gear surrounded Khan, Pakistan’s most-popular leader according to polls. They led him by his arm into a dark van.

According to videos and witnesses, authorities in three of Pakistan’s four provinces issued an emergency order that banned all gatherings. Khan’s supporters had clashed violently with police in several cities, blocked major highways in many of them, and stormed the military buildings of Lahore, Rawalpindi and other cities.

Reuters was unable to independently verify the authenticity. The military’s Public Relations wing didn’t immediately respond to an inquiry for comment.

Ziaullah Longove, the provincial home minister, said that the clashes in Quetta’s southern city killed one protester and injured 12, including six police officers.

Pakistan’s telecommunications regulator told Reuters the interior ministry had ordered that mobile data services be suspended. Netblocks, a worldwide internet monitor, reported that access to Twitter and Facebook, as well as YouTube, was restricted.

Khan, 70, a cricket hero-turned-politician, has showed no sign of slowing down since being ousted in April 2022 as prime minister in a parliamentary no-confidence vote – even after being wounded in a November attack on his convoy as he led a protest march to Islamabad calling for snap general elections.

His arrest comes at a time of the worst economic crisis Pakistan has seen in decades. The country is experiencing record inflation and a weak growth. The International Monetary Fund’s bailout package was delayed by months, despite the fact that foreign exchange reserves were barely enough to cover one month of imports.

A FRAUD OVER PROPERTY ALLEGED

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah informed reporters that Khan was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau after he refused to comply with notices.

He said Khan and wife were accused of receiving, while he was prime minister, a land valued up to 7 billion rupiahs ($24.7million) from a developer who had been indicted for money laundering charges in Britain.

Sanaullah said that British authorities returned 190 millions pounds ($240million) to Pakistan as a result of money laundering. However, Khan returned the money to a developer rather than keeping it at the national exchequer.

In a press release, NAB stated that “Khan has been accused of committing the crime of corruption and corrupt practice”.

Khan denies any wrongdoing.

GEO TV reported that he will be brought before a court to fight corruption on Wednesday.

This is just one of over 100 graft cases that have been filed against Khan after his removal from power in November, following four years at the helm. Khan could be barred from public office in most cases if convicted. A national election is scheduled for November.

‘SHUT DOWN PAKISTAN

Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI), called on its supporters to “shut Pakistan down” in response to his arrest. PTI tweeted: “It is your time, Pakistanis.” Khan has always stood up for you. Now it’s time to stand with him.

Khan supporters blocked major highways and cities across the country. This included Khan’s hometown of Lahore, and the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where police were on high alert. They also banned all public gatherings.

According to Reuters, protesters also blocked major streets in Karachi’s port city and police in Islamabad fired tear gas on demonstrators.

Previous attempts to arrest Khan at his Lahore residence resulted in violent clashes between law enforcement and his supporters.

In Pakistan, political infighting is a common occurrence. No prime minister has served a full term yet and the military has ruled the country for almost half its history.

Khan reiterated his allegations against the military Tuesday. He added that the same senior official, Inter Services Intelligence Major-General Faisal Naser, was responsible for the murder of an acclaimed Pakistani journalist in Kenya last October.

The military denied Khan’s claims.

Three coups have allowed the armed forces to rule Pakistan directly for nearly half of its 75-year-old history. It recently announced that it no longer interfered in politics despite its huge influence.