Pakistan's Imran Khan is charged with attempted murder over policeman's death in weekend protests

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistani police have charged the country's imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan with attempted murder over the death of a policeman during violent protests last weekend by his supporters, officials said Tuesday.

Khan, who has been behind bars since 2023, is accused of inciting people to violence, they said.

Police argue that Khan — who had urged his followers to rally on his behalf and demand his release from prison — had allegedly incited his supporters, leading to the killing of officer Abdul Hameed. According to police official Murtaza Qamar, Hameed was critically injured in clashes between Khan's supporters and police in Islamabad and died at a hospital.

Over the weekend, the country's capital was in complete lockdown, with cellphone service suspended and key roads into Islamabad blocked with shipping containers to try to thwart the rally by tens of thousands of Khan's supporters. Police said dozens of officers were also injured when the protesters threw stones at them.

Registering an attempted murder charge against Khan — who since his ouster in a no-confidence vote in parliament in 2022 has been Pakistan's top opposition leader — indicates the authorities are seeking to entangle him in a multitude of legal cases, likely making it even more difficult for his legal team to fight for his release.

Khan has so far been embroiled in over 150 cases and has been sentenced in several, including to three years, 10 years, 14 years and seven years to be served concurrently under Pakistani law. Khan's convictions were later overturned in appeals but he cannot be freed due to other, pending cases against him.

He has maintained his innocence and has argued that the cases are an attempt to sideline him politically by keeping him out of the public area. His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, or PTI, has also been demanding his release.

Along with Khan, a top elected official in the northwest, Ali Amin Gundapur, and hundreds of Khan's supporters were charged Tuesday with defying a ban on public rallies, attacking security forces and disrupting normal life over the weekend to pressure authorities to free Khan.

Pakistani Army and Paramilitary troops stand guard following high alert during a protest in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/W.K. Yousafzai)

Pakistani Army and Paramilitary troops stand guard following high alert during a protest in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/W.K. Yousafzai)

Supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, chant slogans and ask for the release of Imran Khan during a protest, in Peshawar, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

Paramilitary troop stands guard following high alert during a protest in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/W.K. Yousafzai)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is postponing a planned trip to Germany and Angola to remain at the White House to monitor Hurricane Milton, which is bearing down on Florida’s Gulf Coast, the White House announced on Tuesday.

Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the change was necessary “given the projected trajectory and strength" of the storm.

It was not clear when the trip might be rescheduled. Biden had promised to go to Africa during his term in office, which ends in January.

Hurricane Milton weakened slightly Tuesday but remained a ferocious storm that could land a once-in-a-century direct hit on the populous Tampa Bay region with towering storm surges and turn debris from Helene’s devastation 12 days ago into projectiles.

Most of Florida’s west coast was under a hurricane or tropical storm warning as the storm and its 145 mph (230 kph) winds spun just off Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, creeping toward the state. With the storm expected to remain fairly strong as it crosses Florida, parts of the eastern coast were put under hurricane warnings early Tuesday. Milton’s center could come ashore Wednesday night in the Tampa Bay area, which has a population of more than 3.3 million people.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who was promoted to senior adviser to the President, speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)