UPDATE - Police fail to arrest Pakistan's ex-premier on court order: Officials

UPDATES WITH POLICE LEAVING EX-PREMIER'S RESIDENCE WITH NO ARREST; CHANGES HEADLINE; ADDS BACKGROUND

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistan's police on Sunday failed to arrest the country's former Prime Minister Imran Khan in a case related to the illegal purchase and sale of gifts given by foreign dignitaries while he was in office amid resistance from his supporters, officials and local media reported on Sunday.

An Islamabad court on Tuesday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Khan in connection with the illegal purchase and sale of the gifts.

A team of Islamabad police, with an arrest warrant, reached the northeastern city of Lahore on Sunday to take Khan into custody, the Islamabad police chief, Nasir Akbar, told reporters.

"(Court) notice has been served on him (Khan). Now, we will inform the court, and act accordingly," he added.

Police in a tweet said a team went to Lahore to arrest Khan based on the court orders.

A superintendent of police went inside Khan's residence to deliver the court orders but the ex-premier -- who has been recovering from a gunshot injury he received during a failed assassination attempt last November -- "was not there," according to the police.

"Law is equal for all," the Twitter statement added.

Khan's Chief of Staff Senator Shibli Faraz received the notice, informing the police that the former prime minister was not at home, local broadcaster Geo News also reported.

Footage aired on multiple local broadcasters showed the policemen standing outside the main entrance of Khan's Zaman Park residence as the security and supporters stopped the personnel from entering the residence.

Hundreds of Khan's charged supporters blocked several streets leading to his heavily fortified residence, encircling the police personnel, and forcing them to leave the site after an hour-long showdown.

The Islamabad police, in another tweet, explained that the police team "is still at Zaman Park."

Another visual showed a senior police officer besieged by infuriated workers of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, some of them wielding sticks and many chanting slogans.

The police said legal action will be taken against those who obstructed the execution of court orders.

Fawad Chaudhry, a former information minister and the PTI's vice-president, in a news conference in Lahore, warned the government of a countrywide protest if Khan is arrested.

He alleged that the government wanted to get Khan assassinated by compromising his security through court hearings.

Khan, 70, the country's only premier who was ousted through a no-trust vote in Pakistan's 75-year checkered political history, is facing a slew of cases against him, ranging from terrorism to attempted murder and to money laundering.

Most of the cases, which Khan dubs a "sham," have been lodged after his ouster.

He was deposed as prime minister after parliament passed a no-confidence vote in April last year.

Khan blames his unceremonious ouster on a US-backed conspiracy, the allegation that the incumbent coalition government in Islamabad and Washington have repeatedly refuted.

He narrowly escaped assassination while leading an anti-government long march towards Islamabad last November. Since then, he has been residing in his residence in Lahore and has frequently skipped court hearings on health and security grounds.

* Kiran Butt in Lahore contributed to this story.