The clashes between Khan's supporters and the security forces have brought a new round of political chaos to the nuclear-armed country of 220 million people, which is in the midst of a crippling economic crisis.

Khan says the government and the powerful military are trying to stop him from contesting the next election, scheduled for November.

The court in Islamabad had issued the arrest warrant in a case against Khan on charges of threatening a judge in one of his speeches last year.