- Through Samuel Horty in London and Carolyn Davies in Islamabad
- BBC Information
Mr Khan’s supporters collected outdoor the court docket forward of his arrival
An Islamabad court docket has canceled a listening to on fees of promoting reputable presents to Pakistan’s former high minister Imran Khan following clashes between his supporters and the police.
Police mentioned Mr Khan’s supporters pelted stones and fired tear fuel close to the court docket premises.
The previous cricketer-turned-politician has since returned to his house in Lahore, the place police raided and made arrests in his absence.
He denies the allegations towards him.
Chaotic scenes noticed Mr Khan not able to go into the court docket prior to the pass judgement on agreed he may just mark his look and go back house.
The previous PM says the fees towards him are politically motivated, however says he’s attending court docket “as a result of I imagine within the rule of regulation”. The federal government says that the allegations towards him don’t have anything to do with politics.
He informed Reuters that he had shaped a committee to guide his birthday party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), within the tournament of arrest.
Watch: Chaotic scenes as Imran Khan leaves his house in Lahore for Islamabad court docket
Round 4,000 safety officials, together with elite commandos and anti-terrorist squads, had been deployed in Islamabad, AFP reported.
Police blocked the freeway in Islamabad with transport packing containers and massive vehicles to forestall Mr Khan’s motorcade from coming in opposition to the town.
Officials armed with batons and tear fuel let his automobile cross, however maximum of his supporters had been pushed away.
Chatting with the BBC whilst the convoy was once desk bound, Mr Khan mentioned the government had been looking to prison him to stay him out of the race for the overall election later this yr. “I will be unable to marketing campaign – that is the complete level,” he mentioned.
Previous this week he informed the BBC: “Whether or not I am in jail or now not, they may not forestall my birthday party from profitable.”
In an indication of deep divisions inside of Pakistani politics, present High Minister Shehbaz Sharif tweeted that Mr. Khan’s “movements up to now few days” “uncovered his fascist and extremist dispositions” and known as on supporters to behave as “human shields” on him. accused of the use of as ,
Police raided Mr. Khan’s Lahore house whilst he was once on his method to Islamabad
Previous within the week, Lahore police attempted to arrest Mr Khan after he neglected a listening to, and officials clashed with supporters outdoor his house. On Friday, the court docket granted Mr Khan coverage from arrest at the assurance that he would seem in court docket on Saturday.
In step with native media, on Saturday, Lahore police, involving round 1,000 safety workforce, used an excavator to go into Khan’s place of abode. Police later mentioned that they had arrested Khan supporters who had been serious about violence towards police previous within the week, together with throwing petrol bombs.
The Punjab police leader mentioned some officials would stay outdoor Khan’s place of abode.
Mr Khan was once ousted as high minister in a no-confidence vote final April however has saved up the drive on his successor Mr Sharif with demonstrations and speeches within the run-up to elections due later this yr.
He blamed Mr Sharif for the assassination strive at a rally in November through which he was once injured within the leg. The officers have brushed aside the allegation.
Mr Khan is going through a number of court docket instances together with terrorism fees. He has cited a number of causes – safety issues and damage from the November assassination strive – for now not showing for the listening to.