Pak Police Reaches Imran Khan's Lahore House to Arrest Him; PTI Workers Stage Protest | Key Updates

A team of Islamabad Police on Tuesday reached former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan’s residence in Lahore to arrest him in connection with the Toshakhana case. The police faced stiff resistance from around 400-450 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers, who clashed with them, outside Khan’s Zaman Park residence. Two non-bailable warrants were issued against the cricketer-turned-politician - one in the Toshakhana case for which he has to appear in court on March 18 and another on March 29 in the Judge Zeba Chaudhry threat case.

Khan’s supporters, who had covered their faces with pieces of cloth, pelted stones at policemen resulting in injuries.

The Islamabad Police on Monday flew to Lahore to arrest Khan for threatening the woman judge after the district and sessions court issued his non-bailable arrest warrant for failing to attend the hearing in that case.

Here are some key updates:

• As per Pakistan media reports, Islamabad Deputy Inspector General (Operations) Shahzad Bukhari, who was leading the police team, was injured in the clash with protesters at Zaman Park. He was seen walking with the help of two officials.

• Both Khan’s supporters and policemen were injured in the clashes. Mobile services have also been suspended near Khan’s residence in Lahore.

• Police have fired tear gas and used water cannons to disperse supporters of Khan who gathered outside his residence to prevent his arrest in the Toshakhana case. TV footage showed police slowly approaching the Zaman Park residence of Khan behind an armoured vehicle that was dispersing his supporters with a water cannon.

• Last week, the Islamabad High Court suspended till March 13 the non-bailable arrest warrant against Khan for his failure to appear before a sessions court for the fourth time in the Toshakhana case. The IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, announcing the verdict that he had reserved, directed the PTI chief to appear before the district and sessions court on March 13, rejecting a plea by Khan’s lawyer to give four weeks for appearance before the court in the case.

• Khan has been in the crosshairs for buying gifts, including an expensive Graff wristwatch he had received as the premier at a discounted price from the state depository called Toshakhana, and selling them for profit.

• Khan for the fourth time skipped a hearing at the sessions court, citing health and security reasons. The former premier’s counsel Sher Afzal Marwat, who appeared before the court, said Khan was unwell and “disabled" after being injured in the Wazirabad attack.

• The Islamabad sessions court on Monday rejected the request to cancel Khan’s arrest warrant.

• According to Khan, he was facing at least 80 different cases in various courts across Pakistan.

• Khan was ousted from power in April after losing a no-confidence vote in his leadership, which he alleged was part of a US-led conspiracy targeting him because of his independent foreign policy decisions on Russia, China, and Afghanistan. Khan, who came to power in 2018, is the only Pakistani Prime Minister to be ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament.

Imran Khan’s Message Amid Protest

In a video message, Khan urged his supporters to come out for real freedom as police arrived to arrest him. “They think that after my arrest, the nation will fall asleep. You have to prove them wrong," Khan said in the video.

“If something happens to me and I am sent to jail or if I am killed, you have to prove that you will struggle without Imran Khan and not accept the slavery of these thieves and of the one person who has been making decisions for the country," he said.

Meanwhile, PTI leader Shireen Mazari shared a video in which tear gas could be seen entering Khan’s residence. “They’re shelling Imran Khan’s house too, a leader who requested everyone to stay peaceful and patient. Democracy seems to be suspended in the country, no?" the official Twitter handle of the party tweeted.

Meanwhile, the party’s deputy leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the PTI leadership is ready to find out a “possible way out" to avert bloodshed. “Show me the warrant. I will first read and understand it. Then, I will speak to Imran Khan and my lawyers," he told the police.

Former information minister Fawad Chaudhry said that the party leaders have moved the Islamabad High Court against the arrest warrants issued in the Toshakhana case.

The official Twitter handle of the party earlier urged supporters and workers to gather outside the residence and “remain peaceful".

(with inputs from PTI)

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