Pakistan delays arrest of ex-premier Imran Khan to ease unrest

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On Wednesday, a Pakistani court ordered police to suspend their arrest operation for former Prime Minister Imran Khan until Thursday, ending violent clashes in which police tried to disperse Khan's supporters with batons, water cannons and tear gas, Reuters reported.

Security forces have ended their siege on Khan's home in the eastern city of Lahore, easing political instability in the country, which is struggling with an economic crisis and awaiting help from the International Monetary Fund.

The operation to arrest Khan began after a lower court in the capital Islamabad issued a warrant against him for violating an order to appear in court on charges of illegally selling government gifts given to him by foreign dignitaries while he was prime minister from 2018 to 2022. . .

In a tweet, Khan said he had signed a “guarantee” that guaranteed his appearance in court by the March 18 deadline, while senior aide Fawad Chaudhry said that Khan's party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, had asked the court to stop the police action.< br />
According to a list provided by Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb last year, gifts given to Khan include seven watches, including one worth 85 million rupees (about $300,000).

The list also includes perfumes, diamond jewelry and dinnerware. Khan denies wrongdoing.

The legal battle against Khan began after he was removed from office in parliamentary elections early last year. Since then, he has held nationwide protests demanding early elections, during one was wounded.

The current prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has dismissed Khan's demands, saying elections will be held as scheduled later this year.
Political infighting is commonplace in Pakistan, where no one the prime minister has not yet served his full term and where the military has been in power for almost half of the country's history.

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