After days of legal wrangling and extensive battles between his supporters and police, former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan headed to court on Friday. Taking to social media with a video messages, he asserted that ‘they had made a plan to arrest me’. Khan was ousted in a no-confidence motion last year. Since then he has been pressuring the fragile coalition government that succeeded him to hold early elections.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Police raided his house in a plush Lahore neighbourhood after blocking nearby roads and suspending mobile services in the area. Islamabad his also been put on high alert, with some 4,000 security officials – including elite police commandos, anti-terrorism squads and paramilitary rangers – being deployed in the area.
Police storm Imran Khan’s house, 30 arrested
Police in Pakistan stormed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s residence in the eastern city of Lahore on Saturday and arrested 30 people amid tear gas shelling after someone opened fire from the roof of the building.
Read more: Police storm Imran Khan’s house in Lahore, arrest 30 amid tear gas shelling
Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan heads to court, fears arrest
“It is now clear that, despite my having gotten bail in all my cases, the (Pakistan Democratic Movement coalition) govt intends to arrest me. Despite knowing their malafide intentions, I am proceeding to Islamabad and the court bec(ause) I believe in rule of law,” Khan said on Twitter.
“It is also obvious now that the entire siege of Lahore was not about ensuring I appear before the court in a case but was intended to take me away to prison so that I am unable to lead our election campaign,” he added.
