dpa
Islamabad
Pakistani security forces halted the operation to arrest former prime minister Imran Khan amid fierce clashes with supporters of his party for more than 24 hours. The Lahore High Courtordered the authorities to stop the operation and not to arrest Khan until 10 am (0500 GMT) on Thursday, the former prime minister’s aide Fawad Chaudhry said. Security forces withdrew from around Khan’s residence, where they had blocked all the roads. Chaudhry said that the court would resume the hearing on the matter on Thursday. The development came after supporters of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party fought pitched battles with police to resist the arrest. More than 100 police officers were injured in the clashes. Khan is holed up inside his residential compound in the eastern city of Lahore with thousands of supporters camped outside to help him evade arrest as courts issued warrants for him on multiple charges. Police and paramilitary troops from the rangers force on Tuesday began an operation to push back Khan’s supporters in a third attempt in recent weeks to arrest him. Khan’s supporters, including former ministers and members of parliament (MPs), pelted the police and troops with stones and petrol bombs, injuring more than 100 officers. At least eight protesters were also injured in the police’s baton charge, local media reported, quoting hospital sources. Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said the police and troops were unarmed and observing maximum restraint.
