A day after his detention provoked widespread rallies, Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan pleaded not guilty to corruption allegations.

According to authorities, around 1,000 people have been arrested since Mr Khan was detained in Islamabad on charges he rejects.

The police guesthouse where he is being held, which also serves as a courtroom, is heavily guarded.

During an economic downturn, the arrest heightened tensions between Mr Khan and the military.

Conviction would bar him from running for office in the future. Elections are scheduled for later this year.

According to reports, eight people were killed in the violent riots that erupted across Pakistan following Mr Khan’s detention. Hundreds of security officers were seen violently dragging the 70-year-old from court and loading him into a police truck in dramatic footage.

In a case launched by the Election Commission, Mr Khan was accused on Wednesday on charges of improperly selling state goods during his tenure as Prime Minister. He disputes the allegations and claims to have followed all legal procedures.

It was the first of dozens of incidents in which he was formally charged. He had escaped arrest for months, with his supporters at times battling fierce clashes with police to keep him out of custody.

The arrest on Tuesday was based on a new warrant for a different graft case involving the suspected transfer of land for Al-Qadir University in Islamabad. In this case, the judge remanded Mr Khan in detention for eight days.

Mr Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has stated that he has not been given access to legal counsel and that the party will contest the validity of his arrest in court.