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Imran Khan arrest: Pakistan police fire tear gas into PTI chief's Lahore house
Police on Tuesday fired tear gas into the compound of Imran Khan’s house.
Police on Tuesday fired tear gas into the compound of Imran Khan’s house in Lahore and used water cannons to disperse supporters, who gathered outside Pakistan's ousted prime minister's residence to prevent his arrest in the Toshakhana case.
Pakistani police and supporters of Imran Khan fought pitched battles on Tuesday outside the former prime minister's home in the eastern city of Lahore, injuring several on both sides, ahead of his possible arrest, a government spokesman and witnesses said.
Watch: Pak on the boil; Azadi slogans in Lahore as Imran supporters clash with police near Zaman Park
The police charged the supporters with batons and lobbed teargas shells.
Khan on Tuesday evening posted a video message calling on his backers to continue to challenge the ruling party of prime minister Shehbaz Sharif even if he were to be jailed.
"The police have arrived to arrest me. They think that if Imran Khan goes to jail, the people will go to sleep. You have to prove them wrong, you have to prove that the qaum (people) is alive."
Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers started the violence, which injured several police officials, Government spokesman Amir Mir told Reuters, adding, "If Imran Khan ensures his presence in the court, it will be good, otherwise the law will take its course."
Khan called on his supporters to stand up for the supremacy of law and fight for true independence.
Also read: Imran Khan's speeches banned on Pakistani channels
Mir said the government has called out paramilitary forces to control the situation.
Several of Khan's supporters were injured when the police resorted to teargas shelling, witnesses said.
Similar clashes took places last week.
(With inputs from Reuters)
