Supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday prevented his arrest from the Pakistani police, after a court in Islamabad on Tuesday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Khan, on charges of illegal buying and selling gifts.
Supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday prevented him from being arrested by the Pakistani police.
A court in Islamabad on Tuesday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Khan on charges of illegal buying and selling gifts.
Local media reported that "Pakistani police were unable to arrest Imran Khan in a case related to the illegal buying and selling of gifts given by foreign dignitaries while he was in office amid resistance from his supporters."
"A team of Islamabad police arrived in the northeastern city of Lahore on Sunday with the aim of arresting Imran under an arrest warrant," Nasir Akbar, Islamabad's police chief, told a news conference.
And the police stated, in a statement published on Twitter, that “a police officer entered Khan’s house to hand over the arrest warrant issued by the court, but the former Pakistani prime minister, who was recovering from a gunshot wound during a failed assassination attempt last November, was not.” There," according to the police.
"The law is equal to all," the statement added.
The local radio "Geo News" reported that "the Chief of Staff of the Khan government, Senator Shibli Faraz, received the note, and told the police that the former prime minister was not at home."
Hundreds of angry Khan supporters blocked several streets leading to his heavily fortified residence, cordoned off police officers and forced them to leave the site after a one-hour standoff.
Another picture showed a senior police officer surrounded by angry workers from Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, some of them carrying sticks and several placards of solidarity with Imran Khan.
Police said legal action would be taken against those who obstructed the court order.
In a press conference in Lahore, Fawad Chowdhury, the former information minister, warned the government of a nationwide protest if Khan was arrested.
Footage broadcast by the local "Geo News" station showed policemen standing outside the main entrance of Khan's house, preventing anyone from entering the house.
On April 11, Parliament elected Shehbaz Sharif, the former opposition leader, as the country's prime minister, succeeding Imran Khan.
Sharif's election came after a vote of no confidence in Khan, and the latter's party withdrew from voting on choosing a new prime minister.