Officers have arrived at the residence of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in a bid to arrest him in a case related to the purchase and sale of gifts.
In a series of tweets on Sunday, the police said Khan was “avoiding” arrest after officers arrived at his home in Lahore, adding that a police superintendent had “gone to the room” but the 70-year-old was not there.
On Tuesday, an Islamabad sessions court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for the former PM for avoiding hearings in connection with the illegal purchase and sale of gifts received from foreign dignitaries when he was prime minister. Khan has denied the charges.
Khan was removed from power in April last year after he lost a parliamentary vote of confidence and is facing dozens of cases against him, ranging from “terrorism” to corruption.
On Sunday, police officials, who had travelled from the capital Islamabad, were seen outside the entrance of Khan’s Zaman Park residence in the eastern city of Lahore.
Khan’s supporters and members of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party gathered in their hundreds to protest against the arrest of their party head.
Islamabad Police Inspector General Akbar Nasir Khan told Geo News TV channel that the team went to Lahore to arrest Khan and not just to serve the warrant.
Nasir added that according to the law, the first step of a non-bailable arrest warrant was to serve notice to the accused and make the arrest immediately.
During a public event on Sunday, interior minister Rana Sanaullah said the police came to serve the warrant and will subsequently update the court.
Speaking to journalists outside Khan’s home, PTI party leader and former information minister Fawad Chaudhry confirmed that the police had come to execute the warrant.
