LAHORE (INP): Police have registered cases against hundreds of PTI workers in several big cities of the country, including in Karachi, Rawalpindi and Islamabad, for protesting against the possible arrest of the former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
Around 250 PTI workers, including party’s Karachi division Vice President Dr. Masroor Sial, were booked in Karachi in connection with protest against the possible arrest of Imran Khan on the National Highway. The case was registered at Shah Latif police station of the city.
As per the text of the FIR, Dr. Sial instigated the PTI workers to resort to violence. Saeed Afghani Qalandar, Masood Qazi Zafar, Naimat Swati, Ihsan Khattak, Taus Khan, Ghulam Mustafa Rashid Badeshi and Saeed Afghani were among others nominated in the case. The FIR further read that traffic had to be suspended as the PTI workers went berserk, pelted the police personnel with stones and even smashed cars’ windowpanes.
Police in Tarnol area of Islamabad registered a case against three PTI leaders, including Amir Mughal, besides 60 unidentified party workers. Similarly, police also booked the PTI workers who hurled stones at cops on Expressway that resulted in injuries to three police personnel, including Khana police station SHO, under terrorism charges.
Police have prepared lists under the MPO and raids were being carried out in different parts of the federal capital and suburbs till last reports came in. Likewise, in Rawalpindi, a case was registered at City police station against PTI workers for attacking policemen during their protest. The case was registered on the complaint of DFC Hasnain Raza Bhatti. Former members of the Punjab Assembly Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi, Ejaz Jazi, Umar Tanveer and Asif Mehmood were among 14 party leaders against whom the case was registered. Similarly, 16 unidentified PTI workers were also booked in the case.
Meanwhile, 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 arrest of former prime minister 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.
Police and security personnel made a fresh attempt to arrest the former premier in connection with the Toshkhana case early morning on Wednesday. For more than 15 hours, PTI workers engaged the Islamabad police aided by their Punjab counterparts and later Rangers personnel in pitched battles that continued late into the night with no signs of relenting. So far, the police have suffered around 30 casualties during the clash, while at least 15 PTI men have been detained.
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. The police failed to arrest the former premier despite the passage of 19 hours as PTI workers laid siege to the path leading to Imran Khan’s residence as well as Canal Road.
After the deployment of Rangers, the PTI chairman, in a series of tweets on Wednesday claimed that the “real intent is to abduct and assassinate him” as the police have “now resorted to live firing”.“From tear gas & water cannons, they have now resorted to live firing. I signed a surety bond last evening, but the DIG refused to even entertain it. There is no doubt of their mala fide intent,” he said. In another video shared on PTI’s Twitter account in the wee hours of Wednesday, the PTI chief said that his arrest was part of the “London plan”.
The former prime minister also claimed that in order to “avoid anarchy”, he had signed an undertaking and his counsel Ishtiaq A Khan tried presenting the surety to the Islamabad police deputy inspector general (DIG) sent to arrest him.
In a statement on Tuesday 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.
Police and other law enforcers withdrew from around Imran Khan’s Zaman Park home on Wednesday, putting a halt to clashes that had erupted after police tried to arrest the former prime minister for not appearing in court in the Toshakhana case.
Law enforcement personnel were seen leaving the Lahore neighbourhood after clashing with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters as renewed attempts were made earlier today to arrest party chairman Imran.Police resumed firing tear gas rounds and used water cannons against defiant PTI workers and supporters as fresh skirmishes broke out in the morning after law enforcers intensified their operation in a standoff that lasted almost 24-hours.
CCPO Lahore Bilal Siddique Kamyana and DIG Operations Lahore Afzal Kausar have also reached the area to lead the operation. A large contingent of Punjab Rangers – in riot gear – is assisting the police. On Tuesday night, the provincial government had sought three companies of Punjab Rangers to reinforce the police contingent.
The official PTI Twitter handle stated that open firing had begun by the Rangers and police with Imran’s residence under “extreme attack”. Videos showed “bullet marks” on the gates of Zaman Park, as the party claimed that “tyrants” were “once again going to the extremes of cruelty”. Meanwhile, a group of lawyers is also marching toward Zaman Park.
Hundreds of PTI leaders, workers booked in several cities
