GB govt terms Marriyum Aurangzeb’s allegations ‘baseless’

ISLAMABAD: The Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) government has rejected the allegations levelled by Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb about the use of territory’s force against Punjab police in the latter’s attempt to arrest PTI chief Imran Khan from his Zaman Park residence, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

In a statement, Ali Taj – Spokesperson of GB Chief Minister (CM) Khalid Khurshid – termed Marriyum Aurangzeb’s allegations ‘baseless’ and noted that the territory’s force was on security of chief executive.

He regretted the ‘fabricated allegations’ against GB police, lambasting the information minister for ‘spreading lies’. “The PDM [Pakistan Democratic Movement] government was shaking the foundations of Centre for political revenge,” he added.

Ali Taj further castigated the government for the ‘oppression’ in Zaman Park, alleging that attempts were being carried out to assassinate Imran Khan under the guise of arrest.

The chief minister spokesperson vowed that they will foil the PDM government’s plot to assassinate Imran Khan.

Earlier in the day, federal minister for information and broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb claimed that Gilgit Baltistan force was used against Punjab police in PTI chairman Imran Khan’s possible arrest from his Zaman park Lahore residence.

Addressing a press conference, Marriyum Aurangzeb distanced the Federal Government from PTI chairman Imran Khan’s arrest and said if they wanted to arrest him then the government would have arrested him with state force.

She said that Imran Khan was giving the impression that the government want to arrest him to kill him but he was summoned by the court.

The federal minister claimed that police have no weapons and they are just implementing the court orders. “Over 65 Rangers and police injured personnel are admitted to hospitals”, she added.

Zaman park operation

It is pertinent to mention here that Islamabad police team on Tuesday reached Lahore to arrest Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan after a district and sessions court issued his non-bailable arrest warrants for failing to attend the hearing in Toshakhana reference.

The court of ADSJ Zafar Iqbal restored non-bailable arrest warrants for Imran in the Toshakhana reference. It instructed the police to arrest the PTI chief and present him in court by March 18.

In a statement, 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.

LHC stops police operation at Zaman Park

Earlier in the day, the Lahore High Court (LHC) stopped police operation at former premier Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence till 10am tomorrow (Thursday), putting a halt to day-long clashes that had erupted after police tried to arrest the PTI chairman in the Toshakhana case.

LHC’s Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh issued the order on a petition filed by PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry seeking to stop the “atrocities” outside Zaman Park.

The court had earlier instructed the Punjab inspector general, chief secretary and Islamabad police (operations) head to appear in court by 3:15 pm. The court reprimanded the additional attorney general for baselessly defending the operation.

After the LHC order, Police and other law enforcers pulled back from former premier Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence.