Pakistani police plan to search the Lahore home of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday (May 19). A provincial government official said, an operation that could trigger more violence as the country grapples with political and economic instability.
Amir Mir, the information minister of Punjab province, said hundreds of policemen, led by the city police commissioner. This would conduct the search operation later on Friday
Imran Khan’s home is located in the Zaman Park neighbourhood of Lahore, the capital of Punjab.
In March, the area was the site of pitched battles between these supporters. Police had tried to arrest the 70-year-old former cricket star for not showing up in court.
The authorities eventually arrested Khan on May 9 on graft charges, which he denies. They later released him on court-ordered bail that expires later this month.
On Wednesday, the Punjab government asked Khan to hand over supporters who it blamed for the attacks on the powerful army and who it says are hiding in his home.
Khan has denied sheltering anyone involved in the violence and has said the authorities could search his home but only with legal warrants from a court.