Pakistan’s Information Minister Imran Khan has accused Imran Khan “uttering blatant lying” and denied that the arrest attempts were politically motivated.

Marriyum Aurangzeb, in an exclusive interview with Sky News stated that the arrest was not caused by the government. The delay in the election is not the reason for the arrest.

She stated that the police were only complying with an order from the court to arrest him in corruption case cases.

This follows a heated stand-off between police officers and Mr Khan’s supporters at Khan’s residence in Lahore, an eastern city.

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After officers attempted to arrest the leader, supporters of the ex-prime minister began throwing bricks at the police.

Khan is charged with misusing state funds and faces many corruption cases. Khan denies any wrongdoing.

He claimed that he was willing to travel to Islamabad to appear before the court on March 18, but this was initially rejected by authorities.

Mrs Aurangzeb stated that it was crucial that he answer to the court.

She said, “He must be arrested as the court has ordered” and that he must comply with court orders.

He will be arrested by the police. He must defend himself in court if he has any.

The Information Minister refuted claims that the police had hurt Mr Khan’s supporters. Instead, he stated that 65 officers were injured as a result of clashes.

She dismissed the claim by Mr Khan that his security was at stake – Khan has always argued that appearing before a courtroom could pose a threat to his safety after an assassination attempt.

“The guy claims he is under threat from security…and…in the same breath Mr Khan states that he’s available to host political rallies. “He’s out there,” Mrs Aurangzeb stated.

“When the court asks him to appear in his corruption cases, he tells me that he is a security threat.

“So, you can see he must stick to one thing. When he receives security threats, he incites violence. He’s putting children and women in front of the police who are there to arrest him.”

More Sky News:

Operation Khan to Arrest was halted due to violence

The country is facing economic and political paralysis as the legal battle between Mr Khan (the state) rages.

This is only adding to the chaos and creating an atmosphere of tinderbox in an already febrile environment.