Pak: Imran Khan leads thousands at election rally in Lahore

Lahore: Pakistan’s ousted premier Imran Khan Monday led a march of thousands of his supporters as Islamabad police arrived here to arrest him after two non-bailable arrest warrants were issued against him, a day after he called off his party’s election rally following a ban on public gatherings in Punjab’s provincial capital.

The 70-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician’s supporters threw rose petals at a convoy carrying him to Data Darbar shrine where he is expected to address his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers. A large number of women also joined the rally.

Khan left his Zaman Park residence as Islamabad police arrived in Lahore on a special helicopter to arrest the PTI chief after two non-bailable arrest warrants were issued against him for failing to appear in courts in the Toshakhana case and for threatening a woman magistrate while addressing a public gathering here last year.

Earlier, the Lahore district administration met with the party’s leadership to discuss the rally, its route and security arrangements.

The district administration, however, imposed a condition that no leader would give a statement against the judiciary.