With law enforcers at gates, Imran says ‘hope lies with establishment’ in ending this ‘farce’

PTI Chairman Imran Khan said today that the "hope lies with the establishment" in ending this "farce" as law enforcement agencies made another push to enter the former prime minister's Zaman Park residence in Lahore.

The stalemate between PTI supporters and security personnel continued for a second consecutive day today as the police and Rangers made a fresh attempt to arrest the former premier in connection with the Toshkhana case.

Television footage showed police shelling the protesters, baton charging and firing tear gas at them.

With the law enforcers at the entrance of his house, Imran addressed the nation via video link, saying that his residence was under attack. "Never have we ever witnessed this … never have I ever seen such an attack on a political leader's house."

At the outset of his speech, the PTI chief asked about his "crime" as he called the Toshakhana case against him "fake and unfair".

Imran stated that the case against him was being heard at the F8 Katcheri in Islamabad, where blasts have been reported in the past. "So many lawyers and judges have lost their lives."

The Interior Ministry, he went on to say, "has itself said that my life is in danger and yet again they are doing all this".

"What did I want? All I had asked for was for the case to be transferred to a court with adequate security. But arrest warrants were issued for me. It is unprecedented that an ex-prime minister has been refused security and is being attacked."

Imran claimed that not just shells, but bullets too were being fired at his residence.

Clash between police and PTI supporters

Earlier, Dawn.com's correspondent outside Zaman Park said police made multiple attempts to enter Imran's residence but they were thwarted by PTI supporters, who pelted stones at the security personnel.

In response, police officials fired tear gas shells at the protesters.

On the other hand, PTI supporters set fire to a water tanker of the Lahore Waste Management Authority, motorcycles and other vehicles in the vicinity. They also ransacked a warden's office on Mall Road.

At 10:30am, the armoured police vans, once again, began moving towards the entrance of Imran's residence.

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. Internet connectivity has also been affected in the area.

'Real intent behind arrest to abduct, assassinate'

In a series of tweets today, Imran said that after a day of facing tear gas, cannons with chemical water, rubber bullets and live bullets, "we now have Rangers taking over and are now in direct confrontation with the people".

"My question to the establishment, to those who claim they are 'neutral': Is this your idea of neutrality, Rangers directly confronting unarmed protestors & leadership of the largest political party when their leader is facing an illegal warrant & case already in court & when govt of crooks trying to abduct & possibly murder him?" he asked.

In another tweet, the PTI chief claimed that the real intent of the authorities behind the entire episode was to "abduct and assassinate" him.

"Clearly arrest claim was mere drama because the real intent is to abduct & assassinate. 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.

IHC to hear PTI's plea against arrest warrants

On the other hand, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) will shortly take up PTI's plea seeking the cancellation of arrest warrants issued for Imran in the Toshakhana case.

The party had filed the petition after police and PTI workers had come face to face outside Zaman Park a day earlier. It will be heard by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq.

Confirming the development, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said that the party would follow whatever order the high court passes.

It is pertinent to mention that an Islamabad district and sessions court had on Monday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for the PTI chief after his persistent absences in the Toshakhana reference. It had also instructed the police to arrest the former prime minister and present him in court by March 18.

Earlier today, Chaudhry and PTI's legal team also approached the Lahore High Court seeking the cancellation of Imran's arrest warrants. However, the LHC chief justice sent them back saying that the matter was concerned with Islamabad and should be heard by the IHC.

Late-night meeting

Meanwhile, at a late-night meeting summoned by the Punjab interim chief minister to take stock of the security situation in the provincial capital, it was decided to make another bid to detain the PTI chief and wrap up the operation before the morning.

In order to set the plan in motion, fresh units of police and Rangers took positions on The Mall in the early hours of Wednesday. Soon, a few prison vans followed, along with Rescue 1122 vehicles.

As the date shifted to the ominous ides of March, the city was abuzz that the police high-ups have realised the "mistake" of paddling too softly on Tuesday, compromising the entire operation. "The next effort, designed to be strong and brisk, may come any time during the night, but it will come for sure," one of the Punjab officials said.

Operation at Zaman Park

The operation to 'execute arrest warrants' issued by a court in Islamabad started on Tuesday afternoon, when policemen made their way towards the residence of Imran in an armoured personnel carrier.

Led by Islamabad DIG Shahzad Nadeem Bukhari, police used water cannons and teargas to disperse party supporters who resisted. The PTI workers, however, responded with stones.

The police team was determined to complete the operation. DIG Bukhari, who was subsequently injured, expressed in clear terms, "We are here to arrest Imran Khan and it will be done today at all costs."

In a video message released yesterday, Imran while sensing the inevitability of his arrest released a video message, advising his supporters to continue the struggle for "real freedom" regardless of his "arrest or death".

Later, in an interview with BBC Urdu released after midnight, Mr Khan referred to the attempts to arrest him – for which he was ready – saying that it seemed the alleged promises made to Nawaz Sharif by the establishment were being kept.

According to the former premier, he did not understand why the establishment and the army chief were "backing the PDM government" even though it was damaging the reputation of the state institution.

He added that the PDM would not last a single day without the crutches of the establishment. The ex-PM said there were no attempts to get in touch with the current top brass of the army, adding that doors for talks were, however, always open.

Protests across the country

The events at Zaman Park did not escape the notice of Imran's supporters across the country, and several cities saw protests by PTI workers.

In Islamabad, at least four policemen were injured and over two dozen supporters of the former ruling were detained after protests erupted in several parts of the federal capital, resulting in logjams across the city.

On the call of Imran Khan, the supporters converged in multiple cities across Punjab to express solidarity with their party chief. Agitations were reported in Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Mandi Bhauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, and the adjoining districts of Lahore, including Sheikhpura and Kasur.

Similarly, the PTI workers also took to the streets in Sahiwal, Okara, Sargodha, Multan, Muzaffargarh, Bahawalpur, DG Khan, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad. There were reports of some minor scuffles between the police and the PTI supporters.

A large number of PTI workers and supporters also took to the streets across Sindh, particularly Karachi, to stage demonstrations at more than a dozen key road links and traffic intersections.

Copyright: Dawn/Asia News Network