Ex-Pakistan PM barricades himself in residence to avoid arrest

Islamabad, Mar 5 (EFE).- Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan on Sunday barricaded himself inside his Lahore residence in a bid to avoid arrest over corruption allegations.

Crowds of opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party supporters surrounded Khan’s residence in a bid to keep the police at bay, according to live images broadcast on local TV.

Police earlier said in a statement that members of the Islamabad police had been sent to Lahore to carry out an arrest warrant for the 70-year-old politician.

Khan has been accused of failing to register gifts he received from foreign dignitaries while in office. An arrest warrant was issued for the former leader, who is the chairman of the PTI, for failing to turn up to court hearings.

The former PM turned to social media to address his supporters and accused the current prime minister Shehbaz Sharif of ducking his own corruption allegations with the help of the army and making changes within official bodies to quash the cases.

He also addressed the crowd outside his residence on Sunday, saying: “I have never bowed down to anyone, either human being or institution, nor will I now.”

There were no reports of violence at the attempted arrest in Lahore, although the situation was tense.

Khan was ousted from office in a no-confidence vote in April last year and in October the Supreme Court ruled him ineligible for office for five years after finding he unlawfully sold gifts and hid assets while serving as PM.

The charismatic but divisive former cricket player was shot in the leg during a rally in November last year during a political rally in Wazirabad.EFE

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