Police in Pakistan Try to Arrest Former Prime Minister Imran Khan

According to a series of tweets made on Sunday, the police claimed that Imran Khan was attempting to evade arrest when they arrived at his residence in Lahore. Despite a police superintendent having gone to his room, the 70-year-old former Prime Minister was not present at the time.

In one of their tweets, the Islamabad police declared that a team had been dispatched to Lahore in order to arrest Imran Khan, following a court order. Despite the Superintendent of Police having entered Khan’s room, the former Prime Minister was not found on the premises, and has reportedly been avoiding surrender.

The arrest warrant was issued due to Khan’s failure to appear in court on February 28 in relation to a corruption case. A non-bailable warrant has been issued against Khan by an Islamabad sessions court for his failure to attend hearings regarding the alleged illegal purchase and sale of foreign gifts received during his time in office. Khan has denied these allegations.

Following the police attempt to arrest him, Imran Khan addressed his supporters from his residence in Zaman Park, where he spoke out against what he claimed to be “fake cases” and a threat to his life. “The nation should be made aware of the false allegations being made against me,” he stated.

Khan also referred to a previous incident where he had been attacked, stating that there was still a danger to his life. “As I have mentioned before, and as has been proven by the attack that I suffered, there is a very real threat to my safety,” he said. “Despite knowing the risk that I face, they continue to summon me to courts in Lahore and Islamabad without providing adequate security.”

According to Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the vice chairman of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, it would be a bad sign for the country if the public does not oppose the corrupt rulers.

He stated that they had received a notice from the Islamabad police, but it did not include an order for the arrest of Imran Khan. “We will consult with our legal team and follow the legal procedure,” he added. Qureshi also said that a decision on the next steps would be made after discussions with the party’s legal team later on Sunday.

According to critics, the courts in Pakistan are known for utilizing lengthy proceedings that human rights monitors have condemned for suppressing political opposition. Imran Khan, who was ousted from his position following a no-confidence vote in April 2022, has since faced numerous cases against him. He has called for early elections, scheduled no later than October, by organizing protests, withdrawing from parliament, and dissolving the two provincial assemblies his party controls. Pakistan’s economic situation is dire, with high inflation, meager foreign exchange reserves, and stalled talks with the IMF for a bailout. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is working to revive the next installment of a $6.5-billion loan deal made with the IMF in 2019 to help the country recover from its struggles. Although Khan was elected in 2018 to fight corruption, his economic mismanagement has not helped his case. Despite being removed from power, his popularity has increased.