Khan has been holed up in his house within the jap metropolis of Lahore, the place clashes erupted earlier this week when police tried to detain him after he failed to indicate up at an earlier cour listening to within the case.

Khan, who was ousted from workplace final April, is going through fees in a number of authorized circumstances, together with the graft case, and in addition terrorism, over verbally threatening a feminine choose final 12 months. He’s now as a consequence of seem in courtroom within the capital, Islamabad, on Saturday to reply the indictment that he had illegally bought state presents as prime minister and hid belongings.

Decide Zafar Iqbal dominated in opposition to suspending the warrant after listening to arguments from Khan’s lawyer Khawaja Haris and the prosecution. The choose defined his resolution by saying Khan had forfeited a few of his rights with “his defiance of the courtroom course of.”

Additionally Thursday, a Lahore Excessive Court docket prolonged a pause within the effort to arrest Khan, easing tensions within the metropolis after clashes erupted earlier this week when police tried to detain him. His supporters amassed outdoors Khan’s residence as police fired tear fuel and fought again baton-wielding officers for 2 days.

The pause — in impact till Friday morning — was seen as a reprieve for the 70-year-old opposition chief.

The courts have additionally barred Khan and his Pakistan Tehree-e-Insaf opposition occasion from holding a rally on Sunday forward of elections for the meeting in Punjab, the place Lahore is the provincial capital.

Thursday’s order despatched a wave of aid amongst Khan’s supporters — although safety forces deployed round Khan’s house have been nonetheless on the scene.

Usman Anwar, the Punjab police chief, mentioned police would “ adjust to the courtroom order,” with out elaborating.

Khan has claimed his ouster was a conspiracy by his successor, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, and the USA. Each Washington and Sharif’s authorities have denied the allegations.

Saad Hassan, a lawyer for Pakistan’s election tribunal, mentioned Thursday that Khan has been avoiding courtroom hearings since January.

Violence erupted in Lahore on Tuesday when about 1,000 Khan supporters clashed with police once they tried to arrest the previous premier at his home within the upscale Zaman Park neighborhood. Khan’s supporters hurled petrol bombs, rocks and bricks at police. Officers responded by swinging batons, firing tear fuel and utilizing water cannons. They did not arrest Khan.

On Wednesday, Khan mentioned in a video message that he was able to journey to Islamabad on Saturday to seem in courtroom. He posed for cameras with piles of spent tear fuel shells he mentioned had been collected from round his house.

“What crime did I commit that my home has been attacked like this,” he tweeted on the time.

Ahmed reported from Islamabad.