The Islamabad Police on Tuesday clashed with supporters of Imran Khan outside his home in Lahore as officers arrived to arrest the former Pakistan prime minister, reported Dawn.
Since his ouster as the prime minister in April, the 70-year-old has been booked in several cases, including on charges of corruption. The cricketer-turned-politician, however, has refused to appear before courts, alleging that the cases against him are a plot by his successor, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, to discredit him, according to the Associated Press.
On Tuesday, an Islamabad district and sessions court had again issued arrest warrants for Khan after he skipped hearings in a case filed on charges that he concealed, in his assets declarations, details of the gifts he had retained from the Toshakhana – a repository where presents handed to government officers from foreign officials are kept.
The judge had directed the police to present Khan before the court by March 18.
It is not yet clear for which case the police is trying to arrest Khan on Tuesday.
Hundreds of members and supporters of Khan’s Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf party gathered outside his residence in Lahore’s Zaman Park. The police fired tear gas and water canon at Khan’s house after his supporters threw rocks and bricks at the officers.
Islamabad Deputy Inspector General (Operations) Shahzad Bukhari was injured in the clash and received first aid from police medics at the scene.
Television footage showed the police slowly inching towards Khan’s home behind an armoured vehicle.
In a video message on Twitter, Khan called on his supporters to fight for their rights – “for real freedom” – if he is arrested.
“They think that after I am arrested, the nation will fall asleep,” the former prime minister said. “You have to prove them wrong.”
He added: “If something happens to me and I am sent to jail or if I am killed, you have to prove that you will struggle without Imran Khan and not accept the slavery of these thieves and of the one person who has been making decisions for the country.”
PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry also asked supporters to stage a peaceful protest in support of Khan.
Speaking to reporters outside Khan’s home, PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the former prime minister had been granted protective bail and questioned how the police want to arrest him.
Qureshi also claimed that Khan was not inside his home and asked the deputy inspector general to speak with him instead.
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