Pakistan Supreme Court orders Imran Khan’s release

Islamabad — There was a major turn of events in Pakistan Thursday as the country’s highest court ordered the immediate release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and declared his Tuesday arrest illegal. Major cities were paralyzed this week by violent protests and riots sparked by the arrest of Khan, a national cricket legend-turned political opposition leader, on corruption charges. Khan remains hugely popular in the country of 230 million despite being forced out office last year with a no-confidence vote in Pakistan’s parliament, and his arrest has infuriated his supporters.

The streets were quieter Thursday after two days of violence that left at least eight people dead. But the nuclear-armed Asian nation remained on tenterhooks after most leaders of Khan’s Pakistan…