Imran Khan's Arrest Warrant Saga Exposes Flaws in Pakistan's Hybrid Government

A Pakistani court has rejected former Prime Minister Imran Khan's plea to suspend an arrest warrant issued against him over charges that he unlawfully sold state gifts given to him by foreign dignitaries when he was prime minister from 2018 to 2022. The arrest warrant was issued when Khan failed to appear before the court. Khan denies the charges. His supporters had surrounded his home in Lahore and fought pitched battles with security forces attempting to arrest him. The violence raised fears of a new political stand-off in Pakistan, which is already grappling with an economic crisis.