Pakistan police postpone arrest of ex-PM Imran Khan until Thursday, easing unrest

A Pakistan court on Wednesday ordered police to halt an operation to arrest former Prime Minister Imran Khan, bringing an end clashes with supporters of the former cricketer outside his home in which police fired water cannon and tear gas.

Security forces withdrew from around the house in the eastern city of Lahore, easing political instability in the nuclear-armed nation which is struggling with an economic crisis and awaiting an International Monetary Fund bailout.

The Lahore high court ordered police to postpone the arrest Khan until Thursday, provincial information minister Amir Mir told Reuters.

Earlier, a senior police official said security forces had withdrawn to accommodate cricket's Pakistan Super League, the country's top sporting event, which is being held at a stadium a few km (miles) away.

A lower court in Islamabad had issued a warrant against Khan for defying orders to present himself in court over charges that he unlawfully sold state gifts given to him by foreign dignitaries when he was prime minister from 2018 to 2022.

In a tweet, Khan said he had signed a "surety bond" that would guarantee his appearance in the court by a March 18 deadline. Senior aide Fawad Chaudhry said Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party had asked the court to stop the police action.

According to a list shared by Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb last year, the gifts given to Khan include seven watches, including one valued at 85 million rupees (about $300,000).

The list, which Reuters could not independently verify, also contained perfumes, diamond jewellery and dinner sets.