The police launched the “grand operation” at MrKhan’s Zaman Park residence. (File)
Lahore:
Over 10,000 armed Punjab police personnel launched a significant operation at former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan’s residence in Lahore and arrested dozens of staff of his social gathering and claimed to have seized weapons and petrol bombs, hours after he left for Islamabad to look earlier than a court docket listening to a corruption case towards him.
The police launched the “grand operation” at Mr Khan’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore and eliminated all camps, and barricades erected there by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf social gathering activists to forestall his arrest within the Toshakhana case.
The 70-year-old PTI chief has been within the crosshairs for purchasing presents, together with an costly Graff wristwatch he had acquired because the premier at a reduced value from the state depository referred to as Toshakhana, and promoting them for revenue.
Through the operation, 61 staff of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf social gathering had been arrested and about 10 PTI staff and three policemen had been injured.
Imran Khan’s residence remained a battlefield between his social gathering staff and police and Rangers for 2 days earlier this week over his “arrest operation” within the case.
The PTI staff nevertheless succeeded in foiling his arrest try and the operation was halted on the Lahore Excessive Court docket’s order earlier this week.
Inspector Normal Police Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar after the operation advised a press convention that earlier the police had stopped the operation at Zaman Park on LHC order and PSL match.
“Nonetheless, the court docket did not cease us from taking motion towards these concerned in attacking police. At this time we launched an operation at 12 midday. We confronted resistance from the PTI staff nevertheless we managed to regulate the state of affairs and arrested 61 staff,” he mentioned.
The IGP mentioned that 20 rifles, together with Kalashnikov, and petrol bomb bottles have been recovered from Imran Khan’s residence.
Some bunkers had been additionally constructed within the Zaman Park space, he mentioned, including {that a} case will likely be registered towards Mr Khan on this regard.
He mentioned Imran Khan’s home had been raided after police received search warrants.
Through the operation, police allegedly tortured PTI staff and Mr Khan’s home workers.
Footages present police beating PTI staff after coming into Imran Khan’s residence.
The police, which claims that photographs had been fired upon them from inside, broke the primary gate and entrance partitions of Imran Khan’s home and searched the entire premises.
“Home workers of Mr Khan at Zaman Park has been brutally tortured by cops vandalising the home in sheer violation of Lahore Excessive Court docket’s orders. Prepare dinner Safeer has been taken away by police after beating up driver Shaukat and sweeper Ishaq. Their private belongings together with money and cell phones have additionally been confiscated by the violent cops,” PTI senior chief Shireen Mazari mentioned.
Punjab caretaker authorities info minister Amir Mir mentioned the police operation was launched to clear the Zaman Park space.
“Zaman Park had turn out to be a no-go space. As many as 10,000 Punjab police took half within the operation to clear it. We had additionally experiences that the members of banned organizations had been additionally hissing there.” The cricketer-turned-politician, decrying the police operation, in a collection of tweets mentioned: “It’s now clear that, regardless of my having gotten bail in all my instances, the PDM govt intends to arrest me. Regardless of realizing their malafide intentions, I’m continuing to Islamabad and the court docket as a result of I imagine in rule of regulation. However in poor health intent of this cabal of crooks needs to be clear to all.” “In the meantime, Punjab police have led an assault on my home in Zaman Park the place Bushra Begum is alone. Below what regulation are they doing this? That is a part of the London Plan the place commitments had been made to carry absconder Nawaz Sharif to energy as quid professional quo for agreeing to at least one appointment.” Speaking to Geo Information, Inside Minister Rana Sanaullah alleged that the police had been fired upon from contained in the residence. He went on to say {that a} “no-go space” had been created exterior the 70-year-old PTI chief’s home.
Mr Sanaullah additional revealed that fences had been erected to focus on the police.
He mentioned that every one “terrorists” current inside Zaman Park home had been apprehended, and claimed that cache of explosives, petrol bombs, and bomb-making supplies had been recovered from the location.
When requested if the federal government supposed to arrest Imran Khan, Rana Sanaullah mentioned the PTI chief had already acquired bail earlier than being arrested. He additional clarified that the federal government needed him to look in court docket.
The minister maintained that the police had been unarmed, and clarified that that they had not entered the world the place Mr Khan’s spouse Bushra Bibi was current.
“Part 144 is imposed, you’re kindly suggested to disperse,” police mentioned in an announcement earlier than barging into Mr Khan’s residence.
Tv footage confirmed police coming into Imran Khan’s eight-canal home after utilizing an excavator to carry down the primary iron gate.
Imran Khan additionally tweeted the siege of Lahore was not about guaranteeing his look within the court docket however geared toward imprisoning him and stopping him from main the PTI’s election marketing campaign.
Established in 1974, the Toshakhana is a division below the executive management of the Cupboard Division and shops treasured presents given to rulers, parliamentarians, bureaucrats, and officers by heads of different governments and states and international dignitaries.
Mr Khan was disqualified by the Election Fee of Pakistan in October final 12 months for not sharing particulars of the gross sales.
The election physique later filed a criticism with the district court docket to punish him, below prison legal guidelines, for promoting the presents he had acquired as prime minister of the nation.
Imran Khan, who has vehemently denied these prices, is about to be indicted within the case.
In the meantime, Islamabad police have issued a site visitors advisory, stating that because of tight safety measures across the Judicial Complicated in G-11, residents might face problem in site visitors motion, resulting in inconvenience.
The Islamabad administration on Friday night time imposed Part 144 within the capital, prohibiting personal corporations, safety guards, or people from carrying weapons. Drivers should carry their car registration paperwork whereas driving.
The federal government had on Friday shifted the venue of the extra periods court docket to a relatively safer Judicial Complicated for the listening to of the case after the PTI raised safety considerations, Daybreak reported.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
