Khan tells Al Jazeera an arrest warrant is a politically motivated try and ‘take away him’ from upcoming elections.

Tensions have flared in Pakistan’s japanese metropolis of Lahore after police arrived exterior the house of former Prime Minister Imran Khan to arrest him for failing to look in court docket on Monday over corruption prices.

Police on Tuesday fired tear gasoline and water cannon as tons of of supporters of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) occasion gathered exterior his residence. Police mentioned they might arrest him by the top of Tuesday.

Talking to Al Jazeera from his residence, Khan mentioned the arrest try was “completely unlawful” and politically motivated.

“[The government] need to take away me from the electoral contest as a result of they’re petrified by the recognition of my occasion,” he mentioned.

Right here is the interview, which has been condensed and edited for readability.

Al Jazeera: Why wouldn’t you adjust to the arrest warrant and let the rule of legislation do its course?

Khan: In accordance with the legislation, I’ve protected bail till the 18th [of March]. So 4 days earlier, the police have arrived with an arrest warrant, which is completely unlawful. So we’re ready for tomorrow morning the place my attorneys will seem in court docket and problem this warrant of arrest.

Al Jazeera: You will have launched a video asking your supporters to return out and battle for his or her freedom. Are you not nervous that your message asking folks to “battle” may end in violence?

Khan: “Battle for his or her freedom” means battle for his or her basic rights, which suggests peacefully protesting in what you imagine … The structure and the legislation of the land, what provides you the best to protest.

In France, persons are protesting for pensions. In England, persons are protesting due to inflation and pay rises. So protesting is a part of the democratic course of. By no means in my 26 years in politics have I ever requested my [supporters] ever to be violent.

Al Jazeera: The arrest warrant pertains to allegations you acquire state items and hid property whereas in workplace as prime minister. How do you reply to that?

Khan: That is a completely fabricated allegation. There are 80 instances in opposition to me and in the previous few months each different day there’s a contemporary case in opposition to me. There’s a case of homicide, there’s a case of sedition, there’s a case of blasphemy, a case of terrorism.

We’ve got requested to go to the Supreme Courtroom to ask them to membership all of the instances collectively … and maintain them in a safe place as a result of after I attended my two court docket appearances, there was no safety. The federal government itself has mentioned that my life is beneath menace, due to this fact, all we ask is for them to membership all of the instances collectively.

Al Jazeera: The federal government is saying the police will arrest you by the top of Tuesday. If that occurs, what’s going to it imply in your occasion and for the provincial and nationwide elections?

Khan: I’m mentally ready. There’s a big [police] drive exterior [as if] Pakistan’s “largest terrorist” was holed up inside.

The rationale they need to arrest me is just not as a result of they’re nervous in regards to the rule of legislation, however as a result of the largest criminals at the moment are sitting within the authorities. They need to take away me from the electoral contest as a result of they’re petrified by the recognition of my occasion.

In accordance with all opinion polls, we’d sweep these upcoming elections and that’s the reason they need me faraway from the scene. The tried homicide [when Khan was shot in November] was due to that and now placing me in jail is strictly following the identical script.

Al Jazeera: The actual criminals are in Parliament, you say, however you’re the solely Pakistani prime minister to have been faraway from energy via a no-confidence vote. What makes you assume this isn’t the top of your political profession?

Khan: Usually when somebody is faraway from energy it means they need to be prepared for political wilderness for fairly a while. In our previous, governments have been faraway from energy, however at all times on corruption instances or very poor financial performances coupled with corruption instances … our authorities was not eliminated both due to corruption or due to lack of financial efficiency.

It was eliminated via a conspiracy, and that’s the reason there was such a public backlash.