More contingents have reached PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence — where a stand-off between party supporters and law enforcers has been going on for more than 20 hours — for the former prime minister’s arrest in Toshakhana case.
A tense situation prevailed in Lahore in the early hours of Wednesday as police made a fresh attempt to arrest former prime minister Imran Khan but they were facing resistance from hundreds of his supporters gathered outside his residence in Zaman Park Lahore.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and supporters on Tuesday night took control of Zaman Park Lahore following hours-long face-off with police, who arrived to arrest former prime minister Imran Khan in the Toshakana case.
According to details, the police failed to arrest the former premier despite the passage of seven hours as PTI workers laid siege to the path leading to Imran Khan’s residence as well as Canal Road.
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Taking control of Zaman Park, the PTI workers and supporters chanted slogans in favour of Imran Khan.
An Islamabad police team reached Lahore to arrest Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan after a district and sessions court issued his non-bailable arrest warrants for failing to attend the hearing in Toshakhana reference.
The court of ADSJ Zafar Iqbal restored non-bailable arrest warrants for Imran in the Toshakhana reference. It instructed the police to arrest the PTI chief and present him in court by March 18.
In a statement, the Islamabad police spokesperson said that they have reached Lahore to arrest PTI chief on court orders. Later, party workers and police officials clashed outside his Zaman Park residence in Lahore.
The Islamabad police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse PTI workers gathered outside party chief Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore.
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Imran Khan’s message
In a video message shared on Twitter, the PTI chief urged the nation to stand resolute and fight for ‘Haqeeqi Azadi (real freedom) and rule of law’.
Imran Khan noted that the government believes the nation will ‘not react’ if he gets arrested, urging the party workers and supporters to prove the incumbent rulers ‘wrong’.
“You [the nation] have to prove that we are a living nation”, the former premier said, asking the nation to continue its struggle for real freedom and come out of their houses. He further said that he will continue to fight for the supremacy of Rule of Law.
Emergency committee formed
Meanwhile, the PTI Chairman has constituted a six-member ‘emergency committee’ to overlook party matters in case of arrest.
The six-member committee – constituted to overlook party matters – included PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Senator Saifullah Niazi, Senator Azam Swati, Ijaz Chaudhy, Murad Saeed and Ali Amin Gandapur.
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The emergency committee will overlook the matters if Imran Khan gets arrested, as per a statement issued by the political party.
Protests in Karachi
As soon as the news of the police action at Lahore’s Zaman Park spread, a number of people came out on streets and blocked Karachi’s Maripur Road and other areas.
Protest demonstrations were also staged in the densely populated neighbourhood near Haderi Market, Star Gate and Teen Talwar.
Similar scenes were witnessed at Shaheen Complex, Rashid Minhas Road, and Sohrab Goth where a number of people blocked the roads for vehicular traffic.
The PTI workers also staged protests at Nazimabad Board Office, 4K Chowrangi, Hub River Road, Bacha Khan Chowk, Banaras Chowk, Kemari, Lyari and Daud Chowrangi.
While reacting to the reports of the arrest, PTI leader Hammad Azhar on Sunday afternoon called all party workers to reach Zaman Park in Lahore and remain peaceful.
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Another PTI leader Farrukh Habib also called on the party workers to reach Zaman Park.
Meanwhile, Fawad Chaudhry said that the arrest warrants against Imran had been challenged in the Islamabad High Court (IHC). He said that the hearing was expected to be held soon.
On March 5, an Islamabad police team was sent to Lahore to arrest Imran with the court summons. However, it returned empty-handed after the PTI chief evaded the arrest.
Toshakhana reference
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana reference under Article 63(1)(p).
In the written judgment, the ECP said: “As per the statement of Imran Khan he had purchased the gifts from Toshakhana paying 21.564 million rupees while the Cabinet Division said that the gifts had a value of 107.943 million.”
“The amount in his bank account was around half of the value of the state gifts. Imran Khan was bound to declare the cash and bank details in his returns but he didn’t declare it,” ECP decision read.
“Imran Khan being declared disqualified and unseated from his National Assembly seat,” the ECP said, adding: “He has been disqualified under Article 63, 1(P), over submitting a false statement and declaration”.
The judgement added that the former premier was found to be indulged in corrupt practices under sections 167 and 173 of the constitution. “A criminal proceeding will be initiated against him over filing a false statement.”
“His disqualification under Article 63, 1(P) has been for his current parliament membership”, the ECP said in its 36-page detailed judgment of the reference.