Police Clash with Supporters of Former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Attempt to Arrest Him in Lahore

LAHORE, Islamabad (AP) — Pakistani police clashed with supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday as they attempted to arrest him at his residence in the eastern city of Lahore.

Police stormed Khan’s residence in an upscale Lahore neighborhood 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, said police acted to remove a barricade erected by members of Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party and his defiant supporters.

Khan was addressing charges in the court in the capital Islamabad of unlawfully selling state gifts given to him by foreign dignitaries while in office. He said they blocked the lanes around Khan’s residence with concrete blocks, felled trees, tents and a parked truck.

The attempted arrest came after a failed attempt to arrest Khan on Tuesday, which was met with protests from his supporters. Supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan threw stones toward police next a burning vehicle during clashes, in Lahore, Pakistan, Wednesday, March 15, 2023.

Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party has accused the government of trying to silence its leader and has called for nationwide protests. The government has denied the allegations and said it is only trying to enforce the law.

The clashes between police and Khan’s supporters have raised tensions in the country, with many calling for an end to the violence. It is unclear what will happen next in the standoff between the government and Khan’s supporters.