Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday refused police permission to search his home in Lahore looking for suspects involved in attacks on provincial government and military buildings earlier this month, adding his own conditions to such an operation. It was set. He said the search could only be carried out by a commission set up by the Supreme Court made up of both the government and its party, provided it was accompanied by an official.
"At first they said they had terrorists (inside), then they said they had wanted people," Khan told reporters.
"I asked them if they could come and see if there were any wanted people, and they said they wanted to search my house, but I couldn't." he said.
"If a search is required, it will be done on the basis of a judicial warrant. As I said earlier, people from both sides, including women, will be involved." He said he was concerned that the weapons could be installed unmanned.
Information Minister Amir Mir of Punjab province, whose capital is Lahore, previously told Reuters that police would only launch a search if terms were agreed with Mr Khan.
The confrontation is the latest between Mr Khan, 70, a former cricket star, and a powerful military that has exacerbated political instability in the South Asian country of 220 million people.
Pakistan is also facing its worst economic crisis in decades. A critical IMF financing is needed to avert a balance of payments crisis and has been delayed by several months.
Khan's home in Lahore's Zamanpark district was the scene of violent clashes in March between Khan's supporters and police who tried to arrest him for failing to appear in court. rice field.
Khan was finally arrested on 9 May on bribery charges, which he denied and his bail is due to expire this month.
His arrest triggered a wave of violence by supporters who attacked government buildings, public properties and military installations, including its headquarters and the house of a military commander in Lahore.
Mir said there were no plans to rearrest Khan.
Lahore police chief Bilal Kamyana said police had arrested 14 suspects involved in the attack on the commander's house as they tried to escape Zaman Park.
A government statement said the team handed over all the evidence about the suspects to the administration of Zaman Park. It said a list of 2,200 suspects involved in the violence was also handed over to Khan.
Analysts said the raid on Mr Khan's home could cause further unrest.
On Thursday, Mr Khan's adviser Iftiful Durrani allowed journalists to enter some areas of the house to "search for terrorists".
Mir was told that access was very limited and that he could not be held responsible for the entire property.
Mr Khan said he worried about what the police would do if he was allowed to search his home without a court order.
"I'm afraid they are doing the same thing as before. They raided my house in my absence and said they found weapons."
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