Pakistani police siege of opposition chief’s house postponed over sports activities match

Pakistani police referred to as off a two-day operation to arrest former Prime Minister Imran Khan after violent clashes delayed them and a court docket ordered a halt so {that a} cricket match may begin. 

“We cannot afford to threat the safety and security of the Pakistan Super League (PSL),” a senior police official instructed the Reuters information company, clarifying that the operation would resume following the completion of the cricket event.

The Lahore High Court additionally ordered police to pause the operation pending the results of a listening to on the legitimacy of the arrest warrant after police and 70-year-old Khan’s supporters clashed outdoors his house, the BBC reported.

Supporters of Khan’s occasion, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), protested in opposition to Khan’s arrest, which the previous prime minister insisted was pointless since he had agreed to indicate up in court docket on Mar. 18, however police refused to simply accept the signed surety bond and tried to arrest him anyway.

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A decrease court docket had issued a warrant for his arrest for defying orders to current himself over prices that he unlawfully offered state presents given to him by overseas dignitaries throughout his time in workplace.

Supporters of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan block a street close to Khan’s residence to forestall officers from arresting him in Lahore, Pakistan, on March 15, 2023. (Aamir Qureshi / AFP through Getty Images)

The presents included seven watches, with one valued at round $300,000, in addition to perfumes, diamond jewellery and dinner units, in keeping with a listing shared by Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb final 12 months. 

Pakistani safety forces conflict with supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan outdoors his residence to forestall his attainable arrest in Lahore, Pakistan, on March 15, 2023. (Rana Irfan Ali / Anadolu Agency through Getty Images)

The nation’s parliament ousted him from workplace by way of a no-confidence vote over the allegations, and he maintains the case is politically motivated. He denies any wrongdoing.

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“Whether I’m in jail or not, they will be unable to cease my occasion profitable,” Khan beforehand instructed the BBC.

Since then, he has held nationwide protest rallies to demand a snap election, throughout certainly one of which he was shot and wounded.

Police tried to take Khan by drive, however his supporters stood their floor and clashed with police over a two-day interval earlier than the choice to pause for the PSL cricket event.

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“Since the groups have to achieve the stadium a couple of hours earlier than the match and the routes should be cleared out, the safety personnel at Zaman Park have stepped again for a short time,” an unnamed senior police official instructed Al Jazeera.

Pakistani safety forces conflict with supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan outdoors his residence to forestall his attainable arrest in Lahore, Pakistan, on March 15, 2023. (Rana Irfan Ali / Anadolu Agency through Getty Images)

Gaddafi Stadium, which hosts the match between the Lahore Qalandars and the Multan Sultans, is greater than 5 miles from Khan’s house.

Pakistani safety forces conflict with supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan outdoors his residence to forestall his attainable arrest in Lahore, Pakistan, on March 15, 2023. (Rana Irfan Ali / Anadolu Agency through Getty Images)

Khan appeared outdoors and spoke to his supporters, and his occasion wrote on Twitter that the “folks” had pushed again the police who had been “despatched to hurt Imran Khan.”

Cricket stays the most well-liked sport within the nation, attracting worldwide gamers to the nation. The sport typically finds itself tousled with politics.

Khan himself loved an illustrious profession as a cricket skilled, enjoying as a bowler for Pakistan the place he earned the third all-time take a look at bowling rating through the Nineteen Eighties.

Reuters contributed to this report.