On WednesÂday, clashÂes between PakÂistanâs police and supÂportÂers of forÂmer Prime MinÂisÂter Imran Khan perÂsistÂed outÂside his home in Lahore, a day after offiÂcers attemptÂed to arrest him for failÂing to appear in court on graft charges.
The police operÂaÂtion trigÂgered clashÂes between Khanâs supÂportÂers and police in major cities across the counÂtry. Khanâs supÂportÂers hurled rocks and bricks at the offiÂcers while police fired tear gas at his house.
The govÂernÂment sent addiÂtionÂal police to tackÂle the sitÂuÂaÂtion after hunÂdreds of Khanâs supÂportÂers showed unexÂpectÂed perseverance.
The conÂfrontaÂtion outÂside Khanâs house conÂtinÂued, and about a dozen police and some 35 of Khanâs supÂportÂers were reportÂed injured.
Tear gas shells and pieces of bricks litÂtered the paveÂment as Khanâs folÂlowÂers fought back with batons they had brought to resist police.
Khan, who was oustÂed in a no-conÂfiÂdence vote in ParÂliaÂment in April, has avoidÂed appearÂances before the court since NovemÂber, claimÂing he was not medÂicalÂly fit to travÂel from Lahore to IslamÂabad to face indictment.
Khan has claimed that the string of casÂes against him, which includes terÂrorÂism charges, are a plot by the govÂernÂment of his sucÂcesÂsor, Prime MinÂisÂter ShahÂbaz Sharif, to disÂcredÂit the forÂmer crickÂet star turned Islamist politician.
On TuesÂday, Sharif told PakÂistanâs Geo teleÂviÂsion that Khanâs arrest was ordered by a court, and it was not politÂiÂcal victimization.
Angered over the expectÂed arrest of Khan, his supÂportÂers took to the streets across PakÂistan, blockÂing some key roads near IslamÂabad while askÂing the govÂernÂment to refrain from arrestÂing Khan.
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