After law enforcement personnel pulled back from former prime minister Imran Khan’s residence in Lahore on Wednesday, PTI supporters at Zaman Park cheered and celebrated “chasing the Rangers away”.
Early morning today, Islamabad Police, backed by Punjab Police and Rangers resumed efforts — which began on Tuesday — to arrest the ex-premier in connection with the Toshkhana case. Imran has skipped indictment several times, which led to the judge issuing non-bailable arrest warrants for him.
However, they were met with strong resistance from PTI workers, who pelted stones at them. The police responded with volleys of tear gas.
After an hours-long back and forth — described by international media as “pitched battles” — the personnel pulled back to Mall Road, from where they cleared out. Dawn.com’s correspondent at the scene confirmed the developments.
Subsequently, celebrations erupted at Zaman Park, where PTI supporters cheered “chasing the Rangers away”.
In a tweet, the party said that more workers were reaching Zaman Park and vowed not to let the “impure intentions” of the coalition government succeed.
Separately, a video posted on PTI’s official Twitter showed Imran Khan, donning a gas mask, addressing party supporters outside his Zaman Park residence.
Key developments:
- PTI workers celebrate outside Zaman Park as law enforcement agencies pull back
- Clashes reported between police and PTI supporters
- Police make another push towards Imran’s residence with armoured vehicles
- Imran says the real intent behind arrest is to “abduct and assassinate” him
- Former prime minister pins hope on establishment and judiciary to “end this farce”
- Islamabad High Court takes up plea against Imran’s arrest warrants, asks PTI to remove objections from the petition
- Punjab police chief says 54 policemen “seriously injured”
- Imran meets party workers outside Zaman Park
Earlier, in an address to the nation via video link, Imran said that the “hope lies with the courts and the establishment” in ending this “farce” as law enforcement agencies tried to make their way to his residence.
“It will [soon] be out of our hands… the kinds of actions that are taking place… the boys (workers) outside are not listening to me. When this anarchy and shelling is taking place against them, they won’t listen to me anymore. I have no control over them now,” the PTI chief said.
Hence, Imran said, the hope now laid with the judiciary and the establishment.
“And the second hope we are seeing is from the establishment of this country […] do you have an interest in Pakistan or not? … end the farce that is happening [and] think about the country. Do not work on this London plan. This country is heading towards destruction. It is my appeal to all of you that now, think of this country.”
With LEAs at the entrance of his house, Imran asked what his crime was, saying that “never have we ever witnessed this … never have I ever seen such an attack on a political leader’s house”.
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.”
Speaking with a stack of spent tear gas shells on his desk, Imran said that not just shells but bullets too were being fired at his residence and called the entire chaos a “plan”.
“I was ready to go [to jail] and my bags were packed but my workers stopped me … they knew that ever since we were ousted, PTI leaders were subjected to custodial torture … and my workers feared the same for me.”
Imran also called on “those who call themselves neutral” and asked them why Rangers were sent to his house.
IHC begins hearing arguments on PTI plea challenging arrest warrants
On Wednesday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) took 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. The petition was taken up by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq.
On Monday, an Islamabad district and sessions court 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.
As the IHC hearing commenced, Justice Farooq asked Imran’s counsel, Khawaja Haris Ahmed, if he had addressed all the objections that the court had previously raised on the petition.
The judge stated that the petition would only be taken up for hearing once it had been scheduled to which Haris urged the court to hear the plea today.
At that, Justice Farooq highlighted that the court had taken up the plea earlier. “Directions were also issued, but unfortunately, what happened?” he asked.
Haris reiterated his request, stating that the court should hear the PTI’s plea, and insisting that he would legally convince the bench on the matter.
“Earlier, this court had granted relief. But what happened to our order?” asked the IHC chief justice, adding that the court would examine the possible repercussions of not implementing its orders.
Here, Haris said that the “entire situation is visible to you”.
However, Justice Farooq replied: “It’s all because of you. The court had provided a respectable path which was not followed.”
The court subsequently directed the PTI lawyer to remove objections from the petition so that the application could be taken up.
After the hearing was adjourned, PTI’s Barrister Gohar told the media that the proceedings will resume after the IHC’s division bench hears other cases. “We will utilise this break to address the objections that have been marked on our petition,” he added.
When the hearing resumed at 2pm, PTI counsel Haris started presenting his arguments on the petition. He said that his client had challenged the court orders of March 13.
The lawyer explained that Imran had been asked to appear before the court on the said day, but he was at home. “Therefore, we filed an exemption plea.”
He contended that the issuance of arrest warrants was out of the question as there was a difference between criminal cases and bail requests. “We also urged the trial court not to issue warrants until the maintainability of the petition was decided.”
He also contested the nature of the complaint, arguing that the complainant was not authorised to file such a plea.
Haris maintained that the ECP was not entitled to send a criminal case to a trial court.
Clashes between police and PTI supporters
Earlier, the PTI alleged that Imran’s Zaman Park residence was “under extreme attack” as it posted footage of armed law enforcement personnel opening fire.
In a tweet from its official account posted at 11:48am today, PTI shared a video alleging “open firing by Rangers and Police”, without specifying when the video was filmed.
It added that Zaman Park is “under extreme attack”. The footage could not be independently verified by Dawn.com and it could not be ascertained if it was from today.
