Gilgit-Baltistan IG removed for ‘not withdrawing force at Zaman Park’

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Wednesday removed Gilgit-Baltistan Inspector General (IG) of police, Muhammad Wazir Saeed, from the post ‘for not withdrawing force at Lahore’s Zaman Park’, residence of former premier and PTI Chairman Imran Khan, ARY News reported.

According to details, the federal government removed Muhammad Wazir Saeed and appointed Dar Ali Khan Khattak, a Grade 20 officer, as the new inspector general (IG) of police of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Sources told ARY News that Muhammad Saeed is accused of not withdrawing the policemen from Zaman Park – residence of former premier and PTI Chairman Imran Khan. The authorities took a decision to call back GB police personnel allegedly deployed at Imran Khan’s residence in Lahore.

Meanwhile, the Establishment Division issued a notification for the removal of Muhammad Saeed and asked him to report to the division.

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.