Pakistani police on Sunday raided the home of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the eastern city of Lahore and arrested 61 people in connection with a corruption case.
The raid was conducted by a team of around 100 policemen led by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
The arrestees were identified as Sharif’s aides, including former ministers, ex-senior bureaucrats, and close relatives.
The raid was conducted following the order of the accountability court in Lahore, which had issued notices to Sharif and other accused in the corruption case.
The charges against Sharif include misuse of authority and influence peddling.
Sharif is already in London for medical treatment and is said to be in critical condition.
The raid has sparked a wave of protests in Pakistan, with Sharif’s supporters calling the arrest a political vendetta by the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.
The PTI has denied the allegations, saying that the action was taken in accordance with the law.