Pakistani police storm home of former PM Imran Khan

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From the Associated Press

March 18, 2023 | 5:11 pm

Pakistani police raided former prime minister Imran Khan’s residence in the eastern city of Lahore. Reuters

Pakistani police stormed former prime minister Imran Khan’s residence in the eastern city of Lahore on Saturday and arrested 61 people amid tear gas and clashes between Khan’s supporters and police, officials said.

Senior police officer Suhail Sukhera, who led the operation in an upscale neighborhood in Lahore, said police moved to remove a barricade erected by members of Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party and his defiant supporters.

He said they blocked lanes around Khan’s residence with concrete blocks, cut trees, tents and a parked truck.

Khan was not at home, having traveled to Islamabad to appear before a judge to face allegations that he sold state gifts while in office and hid his assets.

The judge adjourned that hearing until March 30.

Police arrested 61 people amid tear gas and clashes between Khan’s supporters and police AFP via Getty Images

Sukhera said Khan’s stick-wielding supporters tried to resist police by throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails, and a man on the roof of Khan’s residence opened fire.

At least three policemen were injured.

Sukhera said police broke down the main door of Khan’s residence and found automatic weapons, Molotov cocktails, iron bars and batons used in attacks on police during the week.

Sukhera said that inside the large mansion, illegal structures had been set up to house people involved in attacks on police that have injured dozens of officers.

At least three police officers were injured.AFP via Getty Images

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah later said police would conduct a thorough search of Khan’s home, where they found bunkers and suspected more illegal weapons and ammunition were hidden.

He said that in Islamabad, Khan and many of his supporters were armed.

Witnesses in Lahore said police tried to disperse Khan’s supporters by firing tear gas and chased them into several houses in the Zaman Park neighborhood.

Khan’s lawyer appeared in an Islamabad court on Saturday after a high court on Friday suspended Khan’s arrest warrant, giving him a deadline to travel to Islamabad and face charges in the corruption case without was arrested.

Khan’s supporters threw stones at police, who responded by firing tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd.AP

Khan had been confined to his home in Lahore since Tuesday after failing to appear at an earlier hearing in the case.

His supporters threw stones and clashed with baton-wielding police for two days to protect the former prime minister from arrest.

Khan’s motorcade arrived near the federal judicial complex in Islamabad on Saturday, where his supporters also clashed with police who prevented them from entering the complex.

Khan’s enraged supporters pelted stones at the police, who responded by firing tear gas canisters to disperse them.

Khan’s supporters threw stones and clashed with police for 2 days to protect the former prime minister from arrest.AFP via Getty Images

Khan’s lawyer, Babar Awan, filed a motion to exempt Khan from appearing in court amid special circumstances.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar condemned Khan for not surrendering to the police and appearing in court on Saturday despite arriving at the gate of the judicial complex.

He accused Khan of using his protesting supporters to avoid indictment.

Khan’s supporter set fire to two police vehicles and several motorcycles outside the court complex while dispersing, according to the law minister.

Khan, during his road trip to Islamabad, said in a video message that the police had entered his residence in Lahore while his wife was home alone.

He condemned the action and demanded that those responsible be punished.

The secretary general of Khan’s PTI party, Asad Umar, in a letter to the chief justice of Pakistan noted that the police waited until Khan had left for Islamabad to raid his residence in Lahore.

He said “doors and walls were razed to the ground” and more than 40 people in the house were arrested.

Khan, now leader of the opposition, was ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament last April. He is accused of selling state gifts while in office and concealing wealth, charges he denies.

It is one in a string of cases the former cricket star-turned-Islamist politician has faced since his ouster.

Khan, 70, who has called for early parliamentary elections, has claimed his ouster was part of a plot by his successor, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, and the United States.

Both Washington and Sharif’s government have denied the allegations.

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