A convey of former Prime Minister Imran Khan drive toward Islamabad at a road in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, March 18, 2023. A top Pakistani court on Friday suspended an arrest warrant for Khan, giving him a reprieve to travel to Islamabad and face charges in a graft case without being detained. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
LAHORE, Islamabad (AP) — Pakistani police stormed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s residence in the eastern city of Lahore on Saturday and arrested 61 people amid tear gas and clashes between Khan’s supporters and police, officials said.
Security personnel climb on a vehicle carrying former Prime Minister Imran Khan as it moves toward Islamabad at a road in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, March 18, 2023. A top Pakistani court on Friday suspended an arrest warrant for Khan, giving him a reprieve to travel to Islamabad and face charges in a graft case without being detained. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Senior police officer Suhail Sukhera, who led the operation in an upscale Lahore neighborhood, said police acted to remove a barricade erected by members of Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party and his defiant supporters. He said they blocked the lanes around Khan’s residence with concrete blocks, felled trees, tents and a parked truck.
A vehicle carrying former Prime Minister Imran Khan is surrounded by his supporters as he leaves for Islamabad from his residence in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, March 18, 2023. A top Pakistani court on Friday suspended an arrest warrant for Khan, giving him a reprieve to travel to Islamabad and face charges in a graft case without being detained. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Khan was not in the home, having traveled to Islamabad to appear before a judge to face charges he sold state gifts while in office and hid his assets. The judge postponed that hearing until March 30.
A vehicle carrying former Prime Minister Imran Khan is surrounded by his supporters as he leaves for Islamabad from his residence in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, March 18, 2023. A top Pakistani court on Friday suspended an arrest warrant for Khan, giving him a reprieve to travel to Islamabad and face charges in a graft case without being detained. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Sukhera said baton-wielding Khan supporters attempted to resist police by throwing stones and Molotov cocktails and a man on the roof of Khan’s residence opened fire. At least three police officers were injured.
Supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan chant anti government slogans during clashes, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Saturday, March 18, 2023. A top Pakistani court suspended an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Khan, giving him a reprieve to travel to Islamabad and face charges in a graft case without being detained. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Sukhera said police broke open the main door of Khan’s residence and found automatic weapons, Molotov cocktails, iron rods and batons used in attacks on police during the week. Sukhera said that inside the sprawling residence, illegal structures had been erected to shelter people involved in attacks on police that have injured dozens of officers.
Supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan run for cover after police fire tear gas shell to disperse them during clashes, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Saturday, March 18, 2023. A top Pakistani court suspended an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Khan, giving him a reprieve to travel to Islamabad and face charges in a graft case without being detained. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said later that police would do a complete search of Khan’s home, where they found bunkers and suspected more illegal weapons and ammunition were hidden. In Islamabad, many of Khan’s supporters were armed, he said.
Supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan run for cover after police fire tear gas shell to disperse them during clashes, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Saturday, March 18, 2023. A top Pakistani court suspended an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Khan, giving him a reprieve to travel to Islamabad and face charges in a graft case without being detained. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Witnesses in Lahore said police attempted to disperse Khan’s supporters by firing tear gas and chased them to several homes in the Zaman Park neighborhood. Khan’s lawyer appeared in an Islamabad court on Saturday after a top court Friday suspended Khan’s arrest warrant, giving him a reprieve to travel to Islamabad and face charges in the graft case without being detained.
Supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan scuffle with police to make way for a vehicle, center, carrying Khan, who arrive to appear in a court, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Saturday, March 18, 2023. A top Pakistani court suspended an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Khan, giving him a reprieve to travel to Islamabad and face charges in a graft case without being detained. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Khan had been holed up at his home in Lahore since Tuesday after failing to appear at an earlier hearing in the case. His supporters hurled rocks and clashed with baton-wielding police for two days to protect the former premier from arrest.
Supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan remove a shipping container after clashes with police at outside the a court, in Islamabad, Pakistan, March 18, 2023. Pakistani police stormed former Prime Minister Khan’s residence in the eastern city of Lahore on Saturday and arrested 61 people amid tear gas and clashes between Khan’s supporters and police, officials said. (AP Photo/W.K. Yousafzai)
Khan’s motorcade arrived Saturday near the federal judicial complex in Islamabad, where his supporters also clashed with police who were preventing them from entering the complex. The enraged Khan supporters threw rocks at police and in reply police lobbed tear gas canisters to disperse them.
A man films with his mobile phone to a burning police vehicle following the clashes between police and the supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, at outside the a court, in Islamabad, Pakistan, March 18, 2023. Pakistani police stormed former Prime Minister Khan’s residence in the eastern city of Lahore on Saturday and arrested 61 people amid tear gas and clashes between Khan’s supporters and police, officials said. (AP Photo/W.K. Yousafzai)
Khan’s attorney, Babar Awan, filed an application for Khan’s exemption from appearance in court amid special circumstances.
Police officer throw stones towards the supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan during clashes, at outside the a court, in Islamabad, Pakistan, March 18, 2023. Pakistani police stormed former Prime Minister Khan’s residence in the eastern city of Lahore on Saturday and arrested 61 people amid tear gas and clashes between Khan’s supporters and police, officials said. (AP Photo/W.K. Yousafzai)
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar condemned Khan for not turning himself over to police and not appearing in court Saturday despite arriving at the judicial complex gate. He accused Khan of using his protesting supporters to avoid indictment.
Police use a crane to remove tents and other stuff from outside the residence of former Prime Minister Imran Khan during a search operation in the Khan’s resident, in Lahore, Pakistan, March 18, 2023. Pakistani police stormed former Prime Minister Khan’s residence in the eastern city of Lahore on Saturday and arrested 61 people amid tear gas and clashes between Khan’s supporters and police, officials said. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Khan’s supporter set two police vehicles and several motorcycles outside the judicial complex on fire while dispersing, according to the law minister.
Police detain supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan during a search operation in the Khan’s resident, in Lahore, Pakistan, March 18, 2023. Pakistani police stormed former Prime Minister Khan’s residence in the eastern city of Lahore on Saturday and arrested 61 people amid tear gas and clashes between Khan’s supporters and police, officials said. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Khan, during his road trip to Islamabad, said in a video message that police had broken into his residence in Lahore while his wife was alone at the home. He condemned the action and demanded that those responsible be punished.
Police detain supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan during a search operation in the Khan’s residence, in Lahore, Pakistan, March 18, 2023. Pakistani police stormed former Prime Minister Khan’s residence in the eastern city of Lahore on Saturday and arrested 61 people amid tear gas and clashes between Khan’s supporters and police, officials said. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Khan, now the opposition leader, was ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament last April. He is accused of selling state gifts while in office and concealing assets, charges he denies. It’s one in a string of cases that the former cricket star turned Islamist politician has been facing since his ouster.
Police conduct a search operation in the residence of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, in Lahore, Pakistan, March 18, 2023. Pakistani police stormed former Prime Minister Khan’s residence in the eastern city of Lahore on Saturday and arrested 61 people amid tear gas and clashes between Khan’s supporters and police, officials said. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
The 70-year-old Khan, who has called for early elections in Parliament, has claimed that his removal from power was part of a conspiracy by his successor, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, and the United States. Both Washington and Sharif’s government have denied the allegations.
Police use a crane to remove tents and other stuff from outside the residence of former Prime Minister Imran Khan during a search operation in the Khan’s resident, in Lahore, Pakistan, March 18, 2023. Pakistani police stormed former Prime Minister Khan’s residence in the eastern city of Lahore on Saturday and arrested 61 people amid tear gas and clashes between Khan’s supporters and police, officials said. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
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Police detain a supporter of former Prime Minister Imran Khan during a search operation in the Khan’s residence, in Lahore, Pakistan, March 18, 2023. Pakistani police stormed former Prime Minister Khan’s residence in the eastern city of Lahore on Saturday and arrested 61 people amid tear gas and clashes between Khan’s supporters and police, officials said. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Associated Press writer Zarar Khan in Islamabad contributed.
Police conduct a search operation in the residence of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, in Lahore, Pakistan, March 18, 2023. Pakistani police stormed former Prime Minister Khan’s residence in the eastern city of Lahore on Saturday and arrested 61 people amid tear gas and clashes between Khan’s supporters and police, officials said. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
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