Pakistan police arrests Imran Khan's nephew, more supporters for 'attacking security forces'

People run for cover after police firing tear gas shells to disperse them during clashes outside former Prime Minister Imran Khan`s residence, in Lahore, Pakistan, Tuesday, March 14, 2023. AP/PTI

Pakistan police arrested Imran Khan's nephew and a number of his supporters on Monday for their alleged involvement in the attacks on the security personnel outside a court here over the weekend where the ousted premier arrived from Lahore to appear in the much-awaited hearing in a corruption case.

The raft of arrests was the latest amid the mounting cases filed against Khan, the chief of the main opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Monday's arrests bring the total number of Khan's followers detained in Islamabad to 198 since Saturday. Among those arrested also include Hassan Niazi, Khan's nephew.

The details of the other arrests were not known immediately. His supporters threw firebombs and hurled stones at the officers as riot police wielded batons and fired tear gas.

More than 50 officers were injured and a police checkpoint, several cars and motorcycles were torched. Lahore Police on Sunday booked Khan and over 1,000 PTI workers under terrorism charges in two cases. The number of cases against Khan has climbed up to 97.

Police also claimed to have recovered rifles, Kalashnikovs, bullets, marbles and petrol bombs from his house during the search operation. Khan, 70, who arrived in the federal capital from Lahore on Saturday, appeared at the gates of the district court in the much-awaited corruption case.

However, due to the violence outside the judicial complex, the judge allowed Khan to return home after signing a register.

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The former prime minister has been in the crosshairs for buying gifts, including an expensive Graff wristwatch he had received as the premier at a discounted price from the state depository called Toshakhana, and selling them for profit.

Khan was disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan in October last year for not sharing details of the sales. The election body later filed a complaint with the district court to punish him, under criminal laws, for selling the gifts he had received as prime minister of the country. Khan has vehemently denied those charges.

Khan, the cricketer-turned-politician was ousted from power in April last year after losing a no-confidence vote, which he alleged was part of a US-led conspiracy targeting him because of his independent foreign policy decisions on Russia, China, and Afghanistan.

Since his ouster, he has been demanding early elections to remove what he termed an "imported government" led by prime minister Sharif. Sharif has maintained that elections will be held later this year once the parliament completes its five-year tenure.

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