Imran Khan announces power show at Minar-e-Pakistan on Wednesday

LAHORE: Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has announced that his party would stage a power show at Minar-e-Pakistan on Wednesday (March 22), calling it a ‘referendum’ on where the nation stood, ARY News reported on Sunday.

The former premier made these remarks while addressing the party workers and supporters a day after clashes erupted at his Zaman Park residence and at Islamabad judicial complex where he appeared before a trial court in the Toshakhana case.

“We will stage a power show at Minar-e-Pakistan on Wednesday, and it will be a referendum on where the nation stands and where the gang of thieves and their handlers stand,” Imran Khan said.

The PTI Chairman strongly criticised the police operation at his residence in Lahore’s Zaman Park, vowing to take legal action against law enforcers who ‘barged into house’.

Imran Khan further said that the entire nation knew that he always respected the law, claiming that 96 cases had been registered against him. “Whenever I leave the house, more cases are registered against me,” he added.

He also accused the coalition government of planning the assassination attempt against him in Wazirabad.

Recalling the incidents of the past couple of weeks, Imran Khan noted that his party decided to initiate its election campaign by holding a rally in Lahore on March 8 after elections in Punjab were announced for April 30.

However, he said, on the day of the gathering they started installing containers and imposed Section 144. “How can authorities imposed Section 144 after the announcement of the elections date,” he questioned.

The PTI chief said that when the rally started moving towards Zaman Park, police used water cannons and tear gas against PTI workers. Subsequently, he said he decided to call off his rally because he was afraid of chaos.

“The coalition government want to throw me in Balochistan jail so I am unable to hold campaign for the upcoming elections,” he claimed.

Speaking of the police operation at Zaman Park, he said that a heavy contingent of police arrived at his Lahore residence over warrants issued by a magistrate. “Rangers arrived in armoured vehicles and jumped over walls,” he added.

Imran Khan said that he was ready to hand himself over to the police but PTI workers stopped him from doing so. “Yesterday, when I left my house, I said my goodbyes to my wife. I knew that I would either be arrested or killed,” he noted.

The PTI chief further said that when he reached the toll plaza, police closed down the motorway. “They had in mind that once my car leaves, they will close it behind me so that rest of the cars cannot follow,” he added.

He alleged that when he was at the gate of Islamabad judicial complex, police also started beating the workers surrounding the car. “They were waiting for me to step out of the car and then kill me,” he added.

Meanwhile, he said, law enforcers broke down the gate of his residence in Lahore’s Zaman Park while only his wife, Bushra Bibi, and few servants were present. He alleged that officials carrying out the operation “looted” his home.

He vowed that the PTI would approach the courts against every single officer that “barged into my house”. He further said that he would initiate contempt proceedings in the Lahore High Court (LHC).

Minar-e-Pakistan Rally

Imran Khan had earlier announced that the power show at Minar-e-Pakistan would take place today (March 19).

However, the Lahore High Court barred PTI from holding the power show and directed the PTI to reschedule it. The judge then asked the party leader to sit down with authorities and sort out the issue.

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

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

Zaman Park Raid

A day earlier, the Punjab police raided Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence.

As per details, the police have arrested more than 13 PTI workers in the anti-encroachment operation at Zaman Park Lahore and one police constable was also injured in retaliation from the PTI workers. Heavy infantry of anti-encroachment squad and police took part in the operation.

The police closed the road leading to Imran Khan’s residence from Sundar Das Road for traffic and uprooted the tents from the road.

In a statement, the police officials said that PTI chairman Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence was raided after Anti-terrorism Court administrative judge issued a search warrant.

Police claimed they arrived at Zaman Park with a search warrant. Despite the search, warrant police were not allowed to search that’s why the police personnel had to enter Zaman Park.

They further added that a lady officer was leading when the police personnel were entering PTI chief Imran Khan’s residence.