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Clashes between Pakistan’s police and supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan persisted for a second day outside his home in the eastern city of Lahore on Wednesday, a day after officers went to arrest him for failing to appear in court on graft charges.
There have also been clashes between Khan’s supporters and police in other major cities, including Karachi, Islamabad, the garrison city of Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Quetta and elsewhere in Pakistan.
Police have been firing tear gas since Tuesday at the house as the 70-year-old opposition leader’s supporters hurled rocks and bricks at the officers.
The upscale area of Zaman Park where Khan lives remained under siege and the government was sending additional police to tackle the situation after hundreds of Khan’s supporters showed unexpected perseverance.
Early Wednesday, Khan emerged from his house to meet with his supporters, who had faced tear gas and police batons through the night to save him from arrest. He said he was ready to travel to Islamabad on March 18 under his arrest warrant, but police did not accept the offer.
The confrontation outside continued and later, Khan posed for cameras seated at a long table, showing off piles of spent tear gas shells he said had been collected from around his home.
