Security personnel escort former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan as he arrives at the high court in Lahore on March 17.
Amid heavy security, former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan appeared in court on March 18 as police were entering his home and after he said he expected to be arrested in a standoff with the government that has sparked clashes with his supporters.
Khan was due to answer charges in court in the capital of Islamabad of unlawfully selling state gifts given to him by foreign dignitaries during his time in office.
Security was tight around the judicial complex where Khan, 70, arrived in a motorcade surrounded by supporters.
Earlier, the one-time cricket superstar told Reuters from his home in Lahore that he has formed a committee to lead his party if he was arrested.
Earlier this week, the Lahore High Court has ruled that the police operation be paused after followers of Khan's political party, Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaf, gathered outside Khan's residence in Lahore on March 14 and battled with police.
In Photos: Violent clashes broke out as authorities tried to arrest former Prime Minister Imran Khan at his home in Lahore for failing to appear in court on corruption charges.
Since his ouster last April in a no-confidence vote in parliament, Khan has repeatedly ignored arrest warrants and court summons in a string of cases against him, claiming they are a plot by the government led by his successor, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Sharif has insisted that Khan's arrest was ordered by a court and was not political.
Two courts in Islamabad on March 13 issued arrest warrants for Khan over his failure to appear before judges in a case involving accusations that Khan has concealed details of gifts received while he was prime minister in his asset declarations, and in a terrorism case.
Khan has failed to attend indictment hearings three times in the gifts case.
Maryam Sharif, a top leader in Sharif's ruling Pakistan Muslim League party, criticized Khan on March 17 for resisting arrest and lauded the security forces for their restraint.
“The state can arrest him in five minutes, but it exercised restraint to avoid bloodshed,” she said.
