Pakistan court halts police operation to arrest ex-PM Imran Khan

Supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan chant slogans, as they guard the entrance of Khan's house, in Lahore, Pakistan March 17, 2023. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro

LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) -A Pakistan high court on Friday cancelled an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Imran Khan, local media reported, defusing a volatile stand-off between his supporters and security forces that had escalated into clashes earlier this week.

News network Geo TV said the Islamabad high court had cancelled the warrant to allow Khan to appear before the court on Saturday over charges that he unlawfully sold state gifts given to him by foreign dignitaries when he was prime minister from 2018 to 2022.