Police claims team had gone to Imran Khan's residence to sign notice, not to make arrest

Lahore: The Islamabad police on Sunday returned without making an arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, despite the issuance of an arrest warrant against him in the Toshakhana case, local media reported.

SSP Islamabad Police said that they had gone to Khan's residence to sign the notice, not to make an arrest, Samaa TV reported.

The police were reportedly sent to his residence in Lahore to arrest him, Samaa TV reported.

Earlier, in a series of tweets, the Islamabad Police said the operation was being conducted with the cooperation of the Lahore police.

It stated that the PTI chief was "avoiding" the arrest, adding that the superintendent of police had "gone into Imran's room but he was not present there".

The SP said the arrest warrants had been served at Zaman Park, Samaa TV reported.

SP City Rana Hussain Tahir went to the room in Imran's Zaman Park's residence where the PTI chairman was expected to be but he was not there when the police arrived, The Express Tribune reported.

On February 28, a district and sessions court in Islamabad had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for the ousted prime minister over his continuous absence before the judge in the case.

Meanwhile, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said that any attempt to arrest Khan will seriously worsen the situation.

"I want to warn this incompetent and anti-Pakistan government not to push Pakistan into further crisis and act sensibly, the workers should reach Zaman Park," he wrote on Twitter.