Law enforcement and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activists clashed Tuesday as police contingents arrived at Zaman Park in Lahore to arrest Imran Khan in the Toshakana case — the only case in which his arrest warrants are not suspended.
Since yesterday, an Islamabad police team has been in Lahore to comply with court orders to arrest the PTI chairman, who is facing several cases in different cities. The police, while exercising restraint, are using water canons to disperse the party’s workers as they move closer to Khan’s home, which is about 90 metres away.
Law enforcement officers in Zaman Park
Law enforcement officers are in Zaman Park in accordance with court orders, as a district and sessions court in Islamabad reinstated the non-bailable arrest warrant of the former prime minister in the Toshakhana case on Monday.
The IHC last week suspended Khan’s non-bailable arrest warrant issued by the local court due to the PTI chief’s continuous absence and ordered him to appear before the lower court on March 13, and he failed to comply with the orders yet again.
The police have arrived at Zaman Park for the second time in less than ten days to apprehend the deposed prime minister. A police officer was injured on his face as the party’s workers resorted to stone-pelting. Meanwhile, law enforcement has arrested.
DIG Operations Shahzad Bukhari leads the Islamabad police team. The police officer told the media that they had come to comply with the warrant. He said that we are aware of the facts of the case but cannot discuss them. A journalist asked the official where he would take Imran Khan after his arrest, to this, DIG Bukhari said let us first arrest him and then we will inform the media.
During Monday’s hearing, Khan, however, filed an exemption plea citing security threats and did not appear in court again. After rejecting Khan’s exemption request, the court issued an order to arrest him and bring him before the court on March 18.
“It is the police’s responsibility to bring Imran Khan to court,” the court stated.
