Arrest Warrants Issued Against Pakistani Opposition Leaders

FILE - Pakistan's fiery cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri, second left, and cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, right, jointly raise their hands for their supporters during a protest near Prime Minister's home in Islamabad.

A Pakistani court has issued arrest warrants for leaders of an anti-government protest over an attack on the headquarters of the country's state-run television station, PTV.

The Anti-Terrorism Court in Islamabad issued arrest warrants Wednesday for opposition politicians Imran Khan, fiery cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri and several other critics of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's government.

Khan and Qadri's supporters have been waging months of protests calling for Sharif to step down over alleged rigging of the 2013 elections that brought him to power. Sharif has refused to step down, and protesters have been camped out around the country's parliament for weeks.

In September, protesters attacked the offices of the state-owned television. They damaged furniture and television equipment and temporarily forced the broadcaster off the air.

The military later restored control and vacated the building.

Qadri has left the country, although Khan, a famous former cricket player, is still in Pakistan and addressing his supporters. He told them late Wednesday that he would not apply for bail to avoid arrest, and he promised to hold a large rally in Islamabad on November 30.