LAHORE: Pakistani police on Sunday issued an arrest warrant for the former prime minister after Khan's supporters prevented police from entering his home to use his office to appear in court on charges of selling official gifts. 

In October Pakistan's Election Commission found the 70-year-old former cricket star guilty of illegally selling gifts from foreign dignitaries.

After Khan ignored several summons to appear in court, the Federal Investigation Agency filed charges against him in an anti-corruption court, which issued an arrest warrant last week.

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Khan has been calling for early elections since being ousted in a parliamentary vote early last year. Shehbaz Sharif, who replaced him, has rejected the demand and said elections will be held later this year as planned.

Last year, he led national protest campaigns demanding early voting; He was shot and injured during the rally.

Referring to his absence and the incident of firing, Khan told the court on Sunday that they (police) knew that there was a threat to his life. He said that there is lack of adequate security in the courts.

Khan's aide Fawad Chaudhary claimed that since he had obtained protective bail from the High Court, he could not be detained.

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The former prime minister is still well-liked by the country's youth and urban voters, according to Chowdhury, who claimed that the government wanted to arrest him to create political chaos and prevent an early election.

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According to a statement by the Islamabad police, when Khan was not found at his Lahore home, they issued an arrest warrant. Khan will have to appear in court on March 7. Home Minister Rana Sanaullah said that if he did not appear, the police would have to take him into custody and take him to court.