Imran says govt actions are part of 'London Plan'.

ISLAMABAD -- Amid clashes between law enforcement agencies and PTI workers during a raid on his Lahore residence after he left for Islamabad to appear before a court, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan said the 'drama' was staged by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government only to arrest him.

Mr Khan said that Punjab police had led an assault on his house in Zaman Park where Bushra Begum was alone. 'Under what law they are doing this?' he asked.

In a video message on Saturday, Mr Khan linked the raid to the so-called 'London Plan'. 'This is part of [the] London Plan where commitments were made to bring absconder Nawaz Sharif to power as quid pro quo for agreeing to one appointment,' he said, in the video statement posted on his Twitter account.

The PTI chairman said, 'It is now clear that despite the bail I got in all my cases, the PDM government intends to arrest me,' he added.

Claims PDM govt intends to arrest him to keep him away from leading election campaign

However, Mr Khan said that despite knowing their 'malafide' intentions, he was proceeding to Islamabad and the court because he believed in the rule of law. But, he added, the 'ill' intent of the government should be clear to all.

'It is also obvious now that the entire siege of Lahore was not about ensuring I appear before the court in a case, but was intended to take me away to prison so that I am unable to lead our election campaign,' he maintained.

Imran Khan, who returned to Lahore in the afternoon, through the social media tried to keep his workers and supporters informed of developments.

Rule of law

'It is now clear that, despite my having gotten bail in all my cases, the PDM govt intends to arrest me. Despite knowing their malafide intentions, I am proceeding to Islamabad and the court bec I believe in rule of law. But ill intent of this cabal of crooks shd be clear to all,' he tweeted.

'The assault on my house today was first of all a contempt of court. We had agreed that an SP with one of our people would implement a search warrant bec we knew otherwise they would plant stuff on their own, which they did. Under what law did they break the gate, pull down trees,' he wrote.

'[I] Am...