LHC summons Chief Secretary, IG Punjab over Imran Khan arrest

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has summoned the Chief Secretary and IG Punjab at 03:15 PM over PTI chairman Imran Khan possible arrest, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

As per details, the court heard the plea regarding PTI chief Imran Khan’s arrival at LHC from his Zaman Park residence.

The court ordered to immediately call the chief secretary and IG Punjab and appear before the court at 3:15 today.

Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh also summoned the police officer who is heading the Zaman Park operation and the officer from Islamabad police.

The court reprimanded the Additional Attorney General (AIG) for baselessly defending the operation.

Advocate Khawaja Tariq Rahim said that DIG operations Bukhari is heading the Zaman Park operation for the arrest of PTI chairman Imran Khan.

He added that if an incident happens in Lahore it comes within the jurisdiction of the Lahore High Court (LHC).

Earlier, Police and other law enforcers pulled back from former premier Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence, putting a halt to clashes that had erupted after police tried to arrest the PTI chairman in the Toshakhana case.

Police, PTI workers clash continues

More contingents have reached PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence — where a stand-off between party supporters and law enforcers has been going on for more than 20 hours — for the former prime minister’s arrest in the Toshakhana case.

A tense situation prevailed in Lahore in the early hours of Wednesday as police made a fresh attempt to arrest former prime minister Imran Khan but they were facing resistance from hundreds of his supporters gathered outside his residence in Zaman Park.

The police failed to arrest the former premier despite the passage of 19 hours as PTI workers laid siege to the path leading to Imran Khan’s residence as well as Canal Road.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and supporters on Tuesday night took control of Zaman Park Lahore following an hours-long face-off with police, who arrived to arrest former prime minister Imran Khan.

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.